The Colorado Rockies celebrate their 5-2 win over the Giants at Spring Training in Scottsdale, Arizona. Courtesy of Justin Guerriero
Note: CU Independent Rockies Beat Writer is covering the team live during Spring Training play in Scottsdale, AZ from March 23-29.
Behind an impressive start by Eddie Butler, the Rockies took down the Giants on Wednesday by a score of 5-2 at Salt River Fields. The 24 year old righty gave up one run on five hits over five innings. His control was superb and he gave up no free passes to the Giants while earning the win.
The game was not to be taken lightly. Both teams’ lineups were reminiscent of what to expect for Opening Day of the regular season, and Butler rose to the challenge.
“It went well,” Butler said. “I just pounded the zone and tried to get ahead as much as possible. When I was ahead I was able to make pitches and when I wasn’t making the pitches they still weren’t getting good swings off because they were behind in the count and were swinging defensively.”
Standing in the Rockies’ way was Giants’ starting pitcher Tim Hudson, who started Game 7 of last year’s World Series for San Francisco and earned the win. Hudson was effective early, retiring the first ten batters he faced. But in the top of the fourth inning, left fielder Corey Dickerson hit a single. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki followed with a two-run shot to left field on the first pitch of his second at bat.
After right fielder Carlos Gonzalez got to first with a bunt single and was moved to third by ground rule double hit by third baseman Nolan Arenado, first baseman Justin Morneau hit him in with an RBI groundout.
The Giants answered in their half of the fifth inning to make the score 3-1. Shortstop Brandon Crawford hit a double and later scored on a triple hit by left fielder Nori Aoki that bounced out of Gonzalez’s glove. But that was all the Giants would get from Butler. He was able to get second baseman Joe Panik to ground out to end the threat.
Christian Friedrich came in to pitch the sixth inning in relief. In the seventh, the Giants cut their deficit down to 3-2. Outfielder Justin Maxwell hit a leadoff double off of Friedrich. After Crawford moved him to third with a ground out, pinch hitter Matt Duffy drove him in with a single. After that, Friedrich was able to stop the bleeding and get the final two outs.
After reliever Rafael Betancourt escaped a jam in the top of the eighth, the Rockies added some insurance runs in their half of the inning. Center fielder Charlie Blackmon and third baseman Rafael Ynoa got on base with singles, but Blackmon was caught in a rundown and tagged out at home. However, after Wilin Rosario relieved Morneau at first base, he was able to bring home Ynoa with a single. A single by new left fielder Kyle Parker scored McBride, and afterward, Cristhian Adames, who subbed in for Tulo at shortstop earlier in the game, hit into an inning-ending double play.
John Axford was able to close out the ninth and earn the save as the Rockies won by a final score of 5-2. Tulowitzki went 2-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the win. Arenado contributed two hits.
“It was a good game,” said Rockies manager Walt Weiss. “We’ve seen [this] game before with the Giants. There was some intensity for a Spring Training game.”
“Eddie [Butler] was very efficient,” Weiss added. “He did a real nice job. The two seamer was working well and he had a good change-up.”
The Rockies will enter Thursday’s road game against the Texas Rangers riding a four game win streak. First pitch is at 7:05 MT and Chad Bettis is due to start.
Contact CU Independent Rockies Beat Writer Justin Guerriero at justin.guerriero@colorado.edu and follow him on Twitter @TheHungry_Hippo.
