DENVER – In front of scouts and a sellout, José Quintana took the mound in a showcase for the other 29 MLB clubs that may be interested in acquiring him. The White Sox starter did not disappoint. Displaying beautiful command of his breaking pitches and a ton of consistency Quintana mowed-down 10 Colorado Rockies in five-and-a-third of work en route to a 5-4 Chicago win.
After a 12 run Saturday many, including myself, declared the Rockies offense as back. But sour clutch hitting and the inability to string hits together once again appeared as the team’s offensive output disappeared.
Combine that with an unfortunate ninth and a bunch left on base and the Rockies were back in the rut.
It was a good start for Jeff Hoffman, until it wasn’t. He retired the first two he faced then gave up a triple to Jose Abreu, he gave the intentional non-intentional free pass to Todd Frazier and Yolmer Sanchez tripled the pair in. Kevan Smith followed through with a hit of his own leaving the Sox with three before the Rockies came to the dish.
The Rockies got right back with a leadoff single from Charlie Blackmon followed by a two-run 403 foot shot into the fading summer’s light.
A leadoff single from Tim Anderson started the fourth he was promptly picked off which was huge for the Rockies because Willy Garcia tripled just a few pitches later. He came around on a sacrifice and stretched the score to 4-2.
Going backward the Rockies stranded a leadoff double in the second, then they would do the same with a single in the third. The sixth was set up with this narrative out.
Quintana surrendered a leadoff walk to DJ LeMahieu then another with one out to Mark Reynolds. Gerardo Parra knocked the ball and knocked the runners around scoring LeMahieu and knocking out Quintana. A beautiful fastball on the outside corner thrown by the relieving Anthony Swarzak. An intentional walk made them loaded for Tony Wolters with two away, he grounded to second, grounding the Rockies rally at just one run.
Two innings later Reynolds led off with a triple off the right field wall that Alen Hanson struggled to play. The next batter, Parra, brought him home on a sacrifice. Tapia check-swing-rolled one up the third base line then took second. Wolters had one more two-out chance to come through. For the second time, he grounded to the right side for an easy out.
Greg Holland came in to pitch the tied up ninth since it was a home affair, the first batter which was Tim Anderson took him deep to straightaway center for his ninth blast of the season and a one run Sox lead that David Robertson would protect. Blackmon and Bud Black were ejected in the ninth inning for arguing a borderline pitch.
