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Rockies can't climb out of early hole By Thomas Harding and Owen Perkins / MLB.com | 1:55 AM ET DENVER -- Chase Utley tripled in two runs, Corey Seager lashed a two-run double and Joc Pederson added an RBI

double in a five-run second inning as the Dodgers won for the 11th time in 14 games, topping the Rockies, 6-2, at Coors

Field on Friday night.

The runs were enough for Dodgers lefty ace Clayton Kershaw (6-2), who limited the Rockies to two runs and seven hits

in seven innings. Kershaw forced 10 ground-ball outs in a rebound from his last start at Coors -- four runs and eight hits in

six innings of a 4-2 loss on April 8. The Dodgers cut their deficit to the National League West-leading Rockies to 1 1/2

games.

"The box score doesn't tell the whole story," Kershaw said. "It wasn't pretty. Nothing was great about it by any means. The

guys got some runs early for me. It wasn't pretty, but I'll take the win any day of the week."

Among Kershaw's ground-ball outs were two double plays from Nolan Arenado -- in the first and in the third, after Charlie

Blackmon had doubled with one out and scored on DJ LeMahieu's single.

"When we get opportunities, he's one of the toughest to have big innings on," LeMahieu said. "We battled all we could, but

he's pretty good. When he gets guys in scoring position or on base, he throws that slider a lot, and it's one of the best

pitches in baseball."

Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood (3-5) went 4 1/3 innings and gave up three of the six hits and three of the four walks

against him in that fateful second inning, as the Rockies fell for the fifth time in their last 14 contests. More >>

MEDIA CLIPS –May 13, 2017

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"He sort of lost his command -- three walks," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "He just couldn't get the ball in the zone."

The Dodgers' Cody Bellinger would add his seventh homer in his 16th Major League game -- and his first against a left-

handed pitcher -- when he took Jake McGee deep in the eighth.

"He doesn't scare off," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Bellinger. "He stays in there against the left-hander. We

know McGee. He's heavy fastball. But for Cody to look fastball and adjust to the hanging breaker and elevate it pull side,

he put a good swing on it. Jake's got a good arm and got beat with the second-best pitch."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Go ahead, throw a strike: Utley, whose swing arrived this week (7 for his last 10, raising his average 99 points, to .197),

benefitted from Chatwood's poor control in the second. Two of the first four batters walked, with some pitches coming

nowhere close to the strike zone. After watching a Chatwood cutter sail to the opposite batter's box, Utley waited for a

strike and drilled it past diving center fielder Blackmon for his triple.

"Those guys in the clubhouse believe in him," Roberts said. "I believe in him. You know the production will come. That

triple was big. He's coming. He continues to get better."

What momentum? Often, a big early lead merely gives the Rockies time for a home comeback. But that doesn't happen

often against Kershaw, who is now 9-4 at Coors. But the Rockies had their chance after the big Dodger top of the

second. Carlos Gonzalez's double gave them men at second and third with one out. But Kershaw struck out Pat

Valaika and Dustin Garneau.

QUOTABLE

"I wouldn't say it's difficult to get a win here, because our team's going to score too. We played good tonight. We battled

well off Chatwood and got some runs off him early and took advantage of some walks. I just tried to not give up five." --

Kershaw, who improved to 9-4 with a 4.58 ERA at Coors Field, and is now 89-0 with four or more runs of support.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Kershaw struck out four on a night when he clearly pitched to contact. Friday marked the 11th time in 273 career outings

that Kershaw struck out four or fewer while pitching seven or more innings.

HIT IT AGAIN! HIT IT AGAIN! HARDER, HARDER!

The Rockies' formerly slumping Gonzalez doubled in the second and singled in the fourth, both off Kershaw, on a 2-for-5

night that lifted his batting average to .208. Over the last four games, he's had four hits, two doubles and two singles.

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According to Statcast™, the exit velocities, respectively, were 107.8 mph, 111.5, 109.4 and 114.2. His final at-bat,

against Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen, was an opposite-way fly to the warning track in left-center.

UNDER REVIEW

The Dodgers killed a rally with a manager's review of a fourth inning play that initially saw Valaika advance to second on a

wild pitch from Kershaw to put runners on second and third with one out and one run already in to make it a 5-2 Dodgers

lead. After reviewing the play, the Replay Official definitively determined that Valaika did not maintain contact with the

base as second baseman Chris Taylor was applying the tag, and the play was overturned. That left a man on third with

two outs, and Kershaw induced a fly to right from Garneau to thwart the rally and end the inning.

"I didn't mind the play at all," Black said. "We've got to push it against Kershaw. You can't sit back and think that you're

going to score a bunch of runs."

WHAT'S NEXT

Dodgers: Alex Wood toes the rubber for the Dodgers in the third game of a four-game set at 5:10 p.m. PT. He's off to a

great start this season, but the Rockies have been his nemesis, especially at Coors Field, where Wood is 0-2 with an

11.25 ERA in four starts.

Rockies: Lefty Tyler Anderson (1-3, 6.69 ERA) is coming off his best start this season -- one run on six hits in six innings

against the D-backs. He was supposed to start Thursday but left knee soreness pushed him to Saturday's game against

the Dodgers, at Coors Field at 6:10 p.m. MT.

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Chatwood tripped up by another big inning By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | 1:26 AM ET

DENVER -- Every inning counts, and in too many games, one inning counts heavily against Rockies right-hander Tyler

Chatwood.

On Friday night against the Dodgers, Chatwood allowed five runs in the second inning of a 6-2 loss to the Dodgers. It was

the sixth time this season Chatwood has given up three or more runs in a single inning.

Outside of those bad innings, Chatwood has not yielded much. But all that gets you is a 3-5 record and 5.25 ERA through

eight starts. On Friday, the second inning -- which featured three walks and three extra-base hits -- required so many

pitches (35) that he lasted just 4 1/3 innings.

Chatwood tried to keep the explanation simple.

"Walks," he said. "I think I had three walks in that inning, which is not ideal, especially in this park."

Of the six games in which Chatwood has struggled in one particular inning, he's walked at least one in the frame five

times.

Chatwood struggled at Coors Field last year and has more high-run games (Sunday's one run and two hits against the D-

backs was the outlier) at home. However, two of the big-inning outings occurred on the road. He coughed up three in the

fourth, including two homers, at Milwaukee on April 5. He carried a no-hitter into the fifth at San Diego on May 2, but gave

up five runs and retired just one batter in the sixth.

Three of the big innings in question featured two homers, and another featured one homer. There were no homers Friday.

Uncompetitive second-inning pitches -- 13 balls under the strike zone, some that bounced before reaching home plate, for

example -- forced him to leave pitches in the zone just to get back into the count. Those led to Chase Utley's two-run

triple, Joc Pederson's RBI double and Corey Seager's two-run double.

"He was getting behind and missing arm side a lot and couldn't find the strike zone and didn't want to give in to us,"

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "For us to be able to take the walk when we needed and create traffic was good.

We had a couple big hits to clear the bases."

The bad innings are vexing because Chatwood is capable of domination. Sunday's game against the D-backs and the

April 16, two-hit shutout at San Francisco are shining examples.

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Manager Bud Black took his assessment beyond the bases on balls.

Black, a former Major League pitcher, noted that it has happened to several starters on a staff that has seen four rookies

(Antonio Senzatela, Kyle Freeland, German Marquez and Jeff Hoffman) start games. Black opined that it's possible

Chatwood -- by far the most-experienced rotation member with 105 appearances and 96 starts -- is being tripped up by

the same issues as the rookies. It's focusing on the desired result, such as the strikeout or the double play, rather than the

execution.

"You've just got to get outs," Black said. "If you get outs, minimize damage, make some pitches when you need to, to get

one out. It looks like we're trying a little bit too hard to try to get stuff and velocity or make the perfect pitch. What happens

is you end up falling behind in the count, you end up walking guys. It's a bad formula."

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Mother's Day start special for Senzatela By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | 1:26 AM ET DENVER -- A shuffling of the Rockies' starting rotation landed right-handed pitcher Antonio Senzatela's next start where

it belonged -- Mother's Day.

Every start, Senzatela carries a rosary of gold in his back pocket that belonged to his mother, Nidya, who died of cancer

last Aug. 24 at the age of 52. It started as stomach cancer, but, Senzatela said, it spread to her breasts.

The Rockies allowed Senzatela, then at Double-A Hartford, to return to his native Venezuela to be with her in her final

days. It was part of the reason he threw just 34 2/3 innings last season. There were also two bouts with right shoulder

inflammation.

Fates intervened when the Rockies moved Tyler Anderson's start from Thursday to Saturday to give his left knee

soreness time to heal. Jeff Hoffman started Thursday's opener of the four-game series against the Dodgers, a 10-7

Rockies victory. He was followed by Tyler Chatwood on Friday and then Anderson on Saturday.

Senzatela (5-1., 2.86 ERA) -- the Majors' rookie leader in wins, ERA, innings pitched (44) and winning percentage (.833) -

- gets the day that should belong to him.

"It's special for me," Senzatela said. "Every day is special, because I remember my mom every day. ... Every moment."

Beyond the pink uniform accents that every team wears on Mother's Day for breast cancer awareness and a pink bat,

which he used in bunting drills Friday, the most Senzatela is considering doing extra is wearing pink socks.

Senzatela said the conversation with manager Bud Black about him getting the Mother's Day start was matter-of-fact,

because Senzatela kept his emotions inside.

"He asked me, 'Hey, you wanna throw Sunday,'" Senzatela said. "I said yeah. Then he said, 'You got Sunday.'"

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Rockies promote Tapia to bolster bench By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | May 12th, 2017

DENVER -- The Rockies recalled left-handed hitting outfielder Raimel Tapia -- hitting .400 through 25 games at Triple-A

Albuquerque, on Friday, and optioned righty pitcher Jeff Hoffman back to Triple-A a day after his first Major League win.

Tapia was expected to join the team in time for Friday night's game against the Dodgers. It is his second call-up of the

season. He went 0-for-7, with a couple line drives and a couple more deep fly balls, in two games while filling in

for Gerardo Parra, who was on paternity leave last month.

Tapia can play all three outfield positions, can pinch-hit or pinch-run. The Major League roster is outfielder-heavy, but

there wasn't an infielder on the Major League 40-man roster at Albuquerque. They don't need a first baseman,

but Stephen Cardullo (who began the year in the Majors) is out with a broken left hand.

"Tapia, the way he's playing, gives us the best player from Triple-A," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "And the guy has

hit. With a four-man bench, he'll give you a chance to do some things."

Hoffman, 24, was called up Tuesday as the 26th allotted player in the second game of a doubleheader with the Cubs and

gave up a run in 1 1/3 innings. On Thursday, he struck out a career-high eight and gave up three runs in 5 1/3 innings of

a 10-7 victory over the Dodgers. Hoffman will rejoin Albuquerque's rotation.

Worth noting:

• Righty reliever Carlos Estevez went into Friday with just two Triple-A appearances under his belt since being optioned

on May 3. Rockies pitching coach Steve Foster said the plan is for Estevez to nail down delivery fundamentals without

game pressure -- something that there isn't time for at the Major League level.

"He did a very good job up here," Foster said of Estevez, who was 3-0 with a 7.94 ERA in 13 games, with much better

work in tight games or protecting leads than when eating innings with the team behind. "We want him to work on things he

has to do. It's a good opportunity for him."

• After a checkup Thursday, right-hander Jon Gray (left foot navicular stress fracture) said he will be allowed out of his

walking boot for an hour a day to do mobility exercises and some throwing (he'll have to get accustomed to weight on the

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foot during follow-through). Gray hopes to be out of the boot full-time in three weeks, and hopes the throwing he has done

and will do will have him ready for game action quickly.

• Cardullo was hit on the left hand by a pitch from El Paso's Andre Rienzo so hard that the ball went to the screen behind

home plate, on May 5. Cardullo ran the bases, but exited after the game. Black said Cardullo has undergone surgery. The

injury is believed to be more extensive than the one Rockies first baseman Ian Desmond suffered during Spring Training.

Desmond missed the first 25 regular-season games due to a fractured left hand.

• The Rockies' rookies have helped the rotation cover for Chad Bettis (testicular cancer) and Gray, but some of the depth

at Triple-A Albuquerque is taking a hit.

Lefty Harrison Musgrave, who nearly made the Rockies as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training, hasn't pitched since

May 1 because of a sore hip. He could be pitching in games by the end of the month, player development director Zach

Wilson said. Also, righty Zach Jemiola, a member of the 40-man Major League roster, left a start Thursday after 4 1/3

innings with an oblique injury, Wilson said.

The bullpen depth has improved because lefty Jerry Vasto, impressive as a non-roster reliever this spring, has returned

after a bout with "dead arm."

• Tony Wolters played his first Minor League rehab game Friday and went 0-for-3 while catching six innings for

Albuquerque in Nashville. Wolters has been on the concussion DL since May 3.

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Wolters got his competitiveness from mom By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | May 12th, 2017 DENVER -- Rockies catcher Tony Wolters will spend Mother's Day in Nashville, playing for Triple-A Albuquerque on an

injury rehab assignment as he completes his recovery from a concussion.

Majors or Minors, he'll compete hard.

For that trait, Wolters can thank his mother.

"My mom's name is Debbie, and my dad's name is Kelly. My parents were always there at all my games. They both were

in banking, so they had their nights off where they can both see me play baseball. The picture here is from when I was 11,

with the Rancho Buena Vista Little League All-Stars.

"My mom was a cheerleader and played tennis -- tennis was her big sport.

"My mom is very competitive. That's where I get my competitiveness from. I saw it when we played ping-pong. I beat her,

she'd get pretty mad. But I've never played her in tennis."

Thanks, Mom.

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Anderson out to slow Dodgers down By Owen Perkins / Special to MLB.com | May 12th, 2017

he Dodgers send Alex Wood to battle the demons of Coors Field in Saturday's third game in a four-game set with the

Rockies.

Wood is off to a great start to the season, but the Rockies have been a nemesis for him, especially when they play at

home. Wood is 0-2 with an 11.25 ERA in four starts at Coors Field, where he's allowed 20 earned runs in 16 innings.

Wood has used a hard breaking ball to gets swing and misses to build a strong record through seven games, five of which

have been starts.

"He'd gotten in a bad habit," Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said of Wood's time in Atlanta, when his velocity was

about 4 mph slower than it is now. "His arm slot had really dropped. Didn't have the angle with the fastball. We revamped

his delivery more to what it was when he first got to the big leagues out of college, and he's really been able to stay on

that."

The Rockies counter with Tyler Anderson, who threw six innings of one-run ball against Arizona on May 6 and got two

days of extra rest because of left knee discomfort. He is 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA in two starts spanning 10 innings against the

Dodgers this season.

Things to know about this game

• Charlie Blackmon is a .400 hitter (4-for-10) with four RBIs against Wood, and Nolan Arenado is 3-for-11 (.273) with two

homers and five RBIs.

• Justin Turner hits Anderson at a .583 clip (7-for-12) with two doubles, a homer, and four RBIs.

• Anderson is 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA in 15 Coors Field starts over 94 2/3 innings, but his home ERA is 5.40 in 16 2/3 innings

this year.

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Dodgers get one crooked inning on Tyler Chatwood and Clayton Kershaw cruises past the Rockies Dodgers scored five runs batting around the order in the second inning By Nick Groke / Denver Post | May 12th, 2017

On Friday at Coors Field, with the first-place Rockies trying to hold off the Dodgers’ hard charge in the National League

West, they faced left-hander Clayton Kershaw, a “superstar,” Colorado manager Bud Black called him, a three-time Cy

Young winner with a grudge.

Kershaw cruised through just about every team he has faced this season, with at least one notable exception: a homer-

heavy victory by the Rockies in early April that, in hindsight, was an omen for Colorado’s streak to the top of the division.

Kershaw returned to a LoDo crowd of 40,146 Friday rounding into form. His seven controlled innings, and a crooked

offensive output in the second, lifted the Dodgers to a 6-2 victory over the Rockies. Los Angeles (21-15) moved 1 1/2

games behind Colorado (23-14) in the NL West.

The Dodgers scored five runs batting around the order in the second inning, then added a big insurance run with a Cody

Bellinger home run in the eighth as Kershaw moved to 6-2 on the season, enacting a balance from his early-season

Denver loss. Tyler Chatwood pitched a herky-jerky 4 1/3 innings to fall to 3-5.

The second inning that shattered Chatwood’s line sunk the Rockies. The Dodgers sent all nine to the plate, with a triple,

two doubles and three walks, good for five runs. Chase Utley’s triple plated Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor, who both

walked, with the first two runs. Joc Pederson’s two-out double scored Yasiel Puig and Corey Seager followed with a

double to right to score Kershaw and Pederson.

“If I knew, I would have made an adjustment out there,” Chatwood said. “It all comes back to walks. You have to throw the

ball over the plate. Walks are the thing that’s killing me right now.”

Kershaw gave up seven hits in seven innings, although the former NL MVP, who ranks among the league’s top 10 in

strikeouts, whiffed just four Rockies.

But an early five-run lead for Kershaw is like a 300-foot head start in the 100-meter dash. The Rockies chipped away, but

never caught up. Charlie Blackmon’s triple in the third, followed by a single from DJ LeMahieu, gave Colorado a run.

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Carlos Gonzalez’s line-drive single in the fourth pushed around Mark Reynolds for another. Nolan Arenado, though,

fluttered, going 0-for-4 at the plate while grounding into two double plays.

Chatwood got through 4 1/3 innings on 85 pitches, with six hits and five runs against him. He struck out six and walked

four. Chatwood has given up three or more runs in six separate innings this season.

“The big inning hurts,” Black said. “He lost his command and couldn’t get the ball in the zone. Not enough strikes. Walks

will kill you.”

A pattern emerged: Chatwood’s sideways second was heavy on fastballs and cutters, his two favorite pitches. The three-

up, three-down third inning from Chatwood mixed in a curveball, a high-spin and effective pitch that he, for some reason,

is reluctant to throw.

“He has the weapons. Use them,” Black said. “Part of the stubbornness, or some people might say conviction, but all the

players who get to this level, they have a lot of self-confidence. The true greats keep their convictions, but also grow and

make adjustments to become better.”

If Kershaw did not exactly get better Friday — it’s difficult to improve, in one start, on such a stellar résumé — he did

wriggle the Dodgers into spitting distance.

With two more games in a four-game series, games that will cap Colorado’s 10-game homestand, the Dodgers now have

a chance to wrest back a lead in the NL West.

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Jon Gray’s return to the Rockies rotation is delayed; Jeff Hoffman and Raimel Tapia shuttle between minors Gray fracture his foot fielding a chopping grounder on the mound April 13 at San Francisco By Nick Groke / Denver Post | May 12th, 2017

The rapid maturation of a Rockies rotation that remains the youngest in baseball has neatly coincided with the prolonged

absence of its ace. Those rookie arms will need to continue carrying Colorado’s pitching staff.

Jon Gray, the 25-year-old with a strikeout fastball, continues to move in a walking boot covering a broken left foot. His

rehabilitation is drawing out longer than the Rockies anticipated. He will not return until at least June.

“The way they’re talking, I’m hoping this week I can get out of the boot completely,” Gray said Friday at Coors Field.

“Slowly transitioning out of it. Hopefully it doesn’t take three or four weeks.”

Gray fracture his foot fielding a chopping grounder on the mound April 13 at San Francisco. The Rockies hoped he would

need about a month to return. But he will pass the one month mark Saturday still waiting to remove the brace.

“We’re going to start doing an hour out of the boot, then two hours, then three hours and get it off,” Gray said, hoping to

start that withdrawal this weekend. He will then walk and run in a pool, with half his body weight.

Gray said he is not feeling pain in the foot, but it is weak, with enough muscle atrophy that his new hope is to be free of

the boot entirely within three weeks. He is throwing, though.

“My arm has been going,” he said. “I don’t think it will take very long after I’m on my feet. It will be quick.”

Roster moves. The rookie arms filling the Gray void included 24-year-old Jeff Hoffman, who struck out eight and walked

two in a victory Thursday over the Dodgers. On Friday, the Rockies sent him back to Triple-A.

In his place, Colorado called up outfielder Raimel Tapia.

Hoffman pitched a spot start for Tyler Anderson, who was bumped to Saturday, after a doubleheader earlier in the week

left their rotation off schedule. Anderson, 27, was given an extra day of rest to help quell a sore left knee. He will pitch

Saturday with a brace.

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Tapia, 23, restores a four-man bench. He went 0-for-7 in an early-season call-up last month. But he was batting .400 (46-

for-115) with 15 doubles, three triples and 20 RBI in 25 games for Triple-A Albuquerque. Colorado manager Bud Black

called him their best minor-league hitter.

Footnotes. Black considered delaying Antonio Senzatela’s scheduled start Sunday to pitch lefty Kyle Freeland instead.

He decided against it, despite the Dodgers’ season-long struggle to hit left-handers and Freeland’s success against them

(two earned runs on eight hits in 10 innings). … Catcher Tony Wolters (concussion) played six innings in his first rehab

game for Triple-A Albuquerque at Nashville. He went 0-for-3 at the plate.

Looking ahead

Dodgers LHP Alex Wood (3-0, 2.73 ERA) at Rockies LHP Tyler Anderson (2-3, 6.69), Saturday 6:10 p.m., ROOT,

850 AM

Anderson’s inflamed left knee bumped him from a scheduled start Thursday, replaced by rookie Jeff Hoffman. An extra

two days rest, the Rockies hope, will get him right. But he will wear a brace, something he used twice during bullpen

sessions in between starts. Anderson has struggled in two losses to the Dodgers this season, giving up seven runs over

10 innings total. But he’s coming off a one-run, six-hit effort over six innings in a victory over the Diamondbacks. The

Rockies have not faced Wood yet this season.

Sunday: Dodgers LHP Julio Urias (0-0, 1.06) at Rockies RHP Antonio Senzatela (5-1, 2.86), 1:10 p.m., ROOT

Monday: Off

Tuesaday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (3-2, 2.93) at Twins TBA, 6:10 p.m., ROOT

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Los Angeles Dodgers 6, Colorado Rockies 2: One bad inning dooms the Rockies A five-run second inning was all Clayton Kershaw needed against the Rockies. By Jordan Freemyer / Purple Row | May 12th, 2017

Colorado Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood coughed up five runs in the second inning, which proved to be more than

enough for Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, who beat the Rockies, 6-2, at Coors Field on Friday.

Chatwood allowed three walks and three extra-base hits in the second inning, including a two-run triple from Chase

Utley and a two-run double by Corey Seager, giving the Dodgers a 5-0 lead.

That was all Kershaw would need. The Dodgers’ ace allowed two runs on seven hits in two innings of work, walking one

and striking out four.

The Rockies got on the board when Charlie Blackmon tripled and came home on a DJ LeMahieu single. They got their

second run in the fourth, when Carlos Gonzalez’s single brought home Mark Reynolds, who had walked.

Cody Bellinger gave the Dodgers an insurance run in the eighth with a solo home run against Jake McGee, his seventh

of the season, to make the score 6-2. Kenley Jansen closed the game for the Dodgers, who evened the series at a game

each.

The Rockies will look to get back on track tomorrow with Tyler Anderson on the mound against Alex Wood. First pitch is

at 6:10 p.m. Mountain time.

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Colorado Rockies call up prospect Raimel Tapia, option Jeff Hoffman Tapia is hitting .400 for Triple-A Albuquerque By Ryan Schoppe / Purple Row | May 12th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies made another roster move today. They have optioned Jeff Hoffman back to Triple-A

Albuquerque after his stellar start last night and called up outfielder Raimel Tapia to help provide more depth

on the bench.

This is Tapia’s second time being called up to the big-league squad this year. He was called up and started

two games in left field when Gerardo Parra was on paternity leave. He has been destroying opposing pitchers

in Triple-A this year hitting .400/.434/.583. With Ian Desmond playing in left field due to the scorching start

of Mark Reynolds, it will be interesting to see how the Rockies use Tapia.

Jeff Hoffman had a solid start last night after the Rockies decided to move Tyler Anderson’s start back to

Saturday to give his knee some extra rest. He struck out eight Dodgers in 5 1⁄3 innings. He did walk two and

couldn’t escape the sixth inning. However, the overall performance was probably worth of another start if the

Rockies rotation wasn’t already full of young talented pitchers. For now, Hoffman will have to bide his time in

Triple-A until another opportunity arises.

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Concern about Rockies’ run differential is overblown It’s easy to see why the Rockies have a relatively weak run differential for their record. It’s also easy to see how it can change. By Bryan Kilpatrick / Purple Row | May 12th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies are 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2010. Usually, when teams hit that sort of

threshold, the talk surrounding it is overwhelmingly complimentary. It’s no easy task to win 10 more games than you lose

in any stretch during a season.

However, there are three things people outside of the Rockies community are using as an asterisk attached to the team’s

early success.

“The Rockies have started hot before, only to falter down the stretch.”

This is true. The 2014 team was 22-14 at one point and wound up losing 96 games. Similar starts in 2011 and 2013

ended with similar results. But the Rockies have never finished at .500 or worse in any season in which they’ve been 10

or more games over .500 at any point.

“The Rockies are 9-0 in one-run games, and that’s not sustainable.”

This is also true. Colorado isn’t going to 40-0 in one-run games, which is the pace they’re currently on. But just last year,

the Texas Rangers—with a below-average offense, a good rotation, and a great back end of the bullpen—finished 36-11

in contests decided by one run en route to a 95-67 record. Will the Rockies be that good in that area this year? Odds are

against it, but they certainly share a similar formula to last year’s American League West champs.

“The Rockies’ run differential isn’t that good, making them closer to a .500 team.”

OK, I’ve had enough.

Yes, the Rockies have outscored opponents by only 12 runs. Compare that to the New York Yankees, who lead baseball

with a plus-55 run differential.

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This doesn’t make the Rockies, who boast a .639 winning percentage, a significantly worse team than the Yankees.

Instead, let’s look at a few factors that have caused the small difference in runs scored vs. runs allowed:

Bud Black’s bullpen management

When talking to Rockies fans last month at the Opening Day breakfast event hosted by Purple Row, I mentioned that the

most important difference between former manager Walt Weiss and current skipper Bud Black was that the latter—in a

really small sample size at that point—exhibited a feel for the value of letting certain pitchers “wear it.”

Too often, Weiss would burn his best relievers in games that were already decided, regardless of whether the Rockies

were on the plus or minus side of those blowouts. That went a long way toward the ineffectiveness some of those Rockies

bullpens experienced as seasons wore on.

Black, as we saw Thursday night (more on that below), is highly reliant on letting his long (Chris Rusin, Jordan Lyles)

and middle (Carlos Estevez, Scott Oberg) eat up innings in lopsided contests. On multiple occasions, that’s had a

negative effect on the score of the game, perhaps making things look worse and less competitive than they really were.

It’s also had a positive effect on the good, but somewhat aging, back end of the bullpen. Mike Dunn, Jake McGee, Adam

Ottavino, and Greg Holland are usually fresh when they’re called upon, and that has shown in the results; the late-

innings quartet owns a combined 2.12 ERA with 61 strikeouts in 51 innings.

High-leverage bullpen work and usage like that will help a team win a lot of close games. That’s what we’re seeing, and

as long as Black as in charge and those relievers stay healthy, there’s not a lot of reason to believe that will change.

Jordan Lyles

We hate to pick on a guy who was given a specific role and is making the best of it, but it’s relevant to the subject matter

covered in the article. Lyles, the Rockies’ main mop-up guy on both ends of the game score spectrum, has allowed 15

runs in 17 innings of work. Had Lyles been replaced on the roster by someone of, say, Chris Rusin’s caliber, that might’ve

resulted in 10 extra runs in the Rockies’ run differential bank, perhaps rendering a lot of the criticsm moot.

19

Lyles gets a lot of flak for the one obvious reason (his 7.94 ERA), but also because the Rockies are just 2-9 in games in

which he’s appeared. The thing fans should keep in mind, though, is that the majority of those games were already

decided before he entered.

Does that mean the Rockies can’t and shouldn’t do better than Lyles? Absolutely not. But that’s only relevant to this

discussion because of run differential reasons, not because he directly affects the team’s win-loss record.

The Washington Nationals

For whatever reason, the Rockies just could not keep the Nationals off the board during the teams’ four-game set in

Denver last month. Washington, after dropping the series opener, scored 15, 11, and 16 runs en route to a convincing

series win. The first-place Nats, who also own the NL’s best record, outscored the Rox 46-29 in the series. Much like is

the case with Lyles, the run differential conversation would probably be much different if this series either never took place

or was played against another team.

Bonus: Coors Field

You know that crazy ballpark in Denver (or, according to some, “on the moon”) where the baseball “is not real” because

it plays like a “video game?” Well, it often produces games featuring atypical run scoring numbers. That—because of

the domino effect long, wild affairs can have on rotations, bullpens, and even starting lineups and benches—places a

large degree of volatility on the concept of run differential.

On top of all of this, it’s simply too early to make a big deal out of run differential one way or the other. The Rockies’

offense could start coming alive as more players come off the disabled list, at which point we may start seeing more

lopsided games in their favor. Or, the rookie-heavy starting rotation might begin to falter a little bit, resulting in a few more

blowout losses, even if not many more losses overall.

The point is, some stats in baseball can be taken at face value. There is so much that goes into every plate appearance,

inning, and game that the end result of those—the win/loss stat—seems like a credible way of measuring a team’s (I didn’t

say pitcher’s!) success.

Tomorrow, we’ll take a look at a few other ways of measuring how “real” the Rockies are and see how the team stacks up.

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Reconciling with optimism Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Rockies By Connor Farrell / Purple Row | May 12th, 2017

Welcome to Football Friday (Season Two). The wildly popular weekly column has returned for a second year of diving into

the theories, analysis, and fun of baseball. Every week we here at Football Friday will use all of our integrity and other

things that sound impressive to deliver the best baseball column you’ve ever seen or ever will see. We at Football Friday,

Inc. are honest, truthful, and most of all we’re serious journalists. Every single one of us.

The Rockies are 23-13, 10 games over .500 for the first time since 2010. By total wins, they have the best record in the

National League and this is the best start in team history.

Any way you look at it, this is good. The Rockies are playing the best they ever have to start the season. These ain’t your

mom’s April Rockies. This is a team that’s 19-0 when leading after six innings. The bullpen is good (even when it isn’t),

the rotation is a ragtag group of rookies who don’t understand they aren’t supposed to be this good, and the lineup is

finding production from places it didn’t expect. These Rockies are good, man.

But, with any good team in any sport we watch, the idea of optimism is shunned. Feeling excitement or hope is frowned

upon by not only society, but also our internal monologue. The idea of reconciling with our own optimism is a bigger step

than convincing anyone else to reconcile with theirs.

The internal pessimist that lives in all of us usually rests on the idea that the Rockies have done this before. In 2014, they

started 22-14, only one game below where they are now. They collapsed under injury and pitching woes that season to a

66-96 year.

Anyone with reasonable logic skills will argue that 2017 and 2014 are not the same. The 2017 team isn’t relying on such

ridiculous what ifs as “If Jordan Lyles and Franklin Morales can carry the backend of the rotation...” or “If Yohan Flande

and Christian Bergman can be viable depth starters...”. There is real talent on this roster beyond the starting nine. There is

legitimate depth that has already shown it can give the Rockies wins on nights when maybe they should’ve lost.

But, what really sunk 2014 wasn’t just Lyles and Morales, it wasn’t just a bullpen relying on Tommy Kahnle and Brooks

Brown.

It was injuries.

That season started to lose gas when Nolan Arenado hit the DL, then Carlos Gonzalez, then Troy Tulowitzki.

The Rockies spent 92 games without CarGo, 71 without Tulowitzki, and 51 without Arenado. Josh Rutledge and Brandon

Barnes saw 600-plus plate appearances. Charlie Culberson played in 95 games with a sub .200 batting average.

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These injuries aren’t something special to the 2014 Rockies or the Rockies as a franchise. These types of

seasons happen all the time. They’re unavoidable, even the best teams lack the depth to survive that.

So as you’re reconciling with your optimism about the 2017 Rockies, about the Rockies in general, the most pressing

concern should be injuries. It always will be. The Rockies’ injury history is like a Josh Hartnett IMDB page. You look at it,

there’s a couple good moments, but overall it’s just unavoidable disappointments. What could Josh have done differently?

The same is true for the Rockies. Really, truly, what could they have done differently? Not sign someone like Ty

Wigginton, sure, but when you anticipate season long production from your superstars you aren’t thinking about losing

them. Could the Rockies have done more to anticipate Tulo and CarGo’s bad luck injury history? Could the 2014 Rockies

have tried harder to get real, tangible depth? Absolutely. Would it have mattered that much if you lose 150-plus games

from the best bats in the lineup? Probably not.

That’s where the internal pessimist wins. “There are always injuries,” it will say. It’s right.

Reconciling with your optimism isn’t about not letting the pessimist win some arguments though. It’s about, forgive my

Jaden Smith voice here, but it’s about believing.

Injuries happen or they don’t. We see David Dahl this year or we don’t. Jon Gray returns to form or he doesn’t. Nolan

gives us 150 games or he doesn’t. We can’t worry about these things the same way we can’t worry about whether this

drive to work is the one during which the overpass collapses on top of us. We’d be riddled with anxiety if we worried about

every little way the world could kill us or destroy us. Why do we do it with the Rockies? Why not admit to ourselves the

beauty of the moment?

Two weeks ago, I talked about those who enter PANIC WATCH at the first sign of trouble. They abandon ship and declare

the Monforts to be robber barons from 1871.

This, though, is different. These are reasonable, rational people. That’s all we are, reasonable and rational. We are

trapped in our rational thinking. We are stuck in worrying about the risks instead of believing in the possibilities.

Reconciling with optimism isn’t about being rational or winning every single argument. It isn’t about debating Dodger fans

online when they tell you this Rockies team isn’t going to win the division. It’s simply about enjoying what you have. You

have a good team, enjoy it. Whether they finish 96-66 or 84-78, the Rockies are good right now. Even if they all get in a

terrible leg-losing accident and the Rockies are forced to forfeit the rest of the season. Even if there is a giant invasion of

mole people and the MLB season is cancelled three days before the Rockies clinch the division.

No matter what, just remember, the risks are always going to be there. Being optimistic isn’t about removing those risks,

it’s about coexisting in a world and believing that they don’t dominate the conversation.

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This isn’t the 2014 Rockies, these aren’t the April Rockies. Welcome to the New World. We’re all optimists here. Send a

postcard.

★ ★ ★

The Good Tweet of the Week

Every week I’m prowling the timeline looking for good tweets from Rockies fans, Rockies players, and Rockies minor

leaguers. I will highlight my favorite tweet of each week in this section. This week, the Good Tweet (TM) comes from

Rockies Tweeter Jack Heyer, who tweets this beautiful thing:

It’s a Fly the W of Wombats.

The Win Wombat has become a staple of Rockies Twitter. It’s tweeted and retweeted, it’s a creative entity now. It has its

own shirt (which you should’ve bought).

Now it has co-opted the Chicago Cubs’ win celebration and covers the W on the flag for all to see that Wombats>Ws.

Keep the wombat creative pieces coming folks, I want this thing to be bigger than Coca-Cola!

★ ★ ★

Are the Rockies Going to Win the World Series?

Yes, they are.

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Colorado Rockies roster moves: Raimel Tapia up, Jeff Hoffman down By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | May 12th, 2017

Jeff Hoffman made an impact for the Colorado Rockies on Thursday night, grabbing his first-ever Major League victory in

a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, baseball is a business and Colorado needed to boost the possibilities

coming off the bench rather than have the right-hander sitting in the bullpen and watching.

On Friday, Hoffman was sent back to Triple-A Albuquerque as outfielder Raimel Tapia was recalled by the Rockies prior

to the second game of their four-game set against the Dodgers.

So why was Hoffman returned to Triple-A? The Rockies need another position player with Trevor Story recently going on

the disabled list with a left shoulder strain. During Thursday night’s game against the Dodgers, Colorado had a three-man

bench of Alexi Amarista, Dustin Garneau and Gerardo Parra. With Tapia in the mix, the Rockies now once again have

a four-man bench.

The 23-year-old Tapia makes his second appearance of the season on Colorado’s roster after ripping up Triple-A pitching

in recent days. Since being returned to Albuquerque on April 19, Tapia has been on a tear, including a .426 average over

the past 10 games.

For the season in Albuquerque, Tapia is hitting .400 with no homers and 20 RBI. In 18 games since reappearing with the

Isotopes, Tapia has at least one hit in 17 of those contests.

He also has eight stolen bases on the season. He will bring an element of speed to Colorado’s lineup, something that we

discussed in this article that has been missing from the Rockies this season.

Hoffman, meanwhile, will have to wait for another chance to reappear on Colorado’s roster. He was a spot starter in

Thursday’s contest, giving up seven hits and three runs in 6.2 innings of work against Los Angeles. He started out strong,

with seven strikeouts in the first three frames. However, he was less effective as the game wore on, striking out just one

batter and giving up a homer and three runs over the next 3.2 innings.

The 24-year-old Hoffman also appeared in Tuesday’s loss to the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a double-header

when he was added to the roster as the 26th man. He surrendered a run in 1.1 innings of work.

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Dissecting Tyler Chatwood’s worst outings and how he bounces back By Casey Light / Mile High Sports | May 12th, 2017

Rockies right-hander Tyler Chatwood endured his worst start of the 2017 season on Friday night at the hands of the Los

Angeles Dodgers. Over 4.1 innings, Chatwood allowed five runs on six hits and tied a season-high with four walks. He

also struck out six. Los Angeles did all their damage against Chatwood in a five-run second inning, in which he walked

three hitters including the leadoff man. It was a disappointing follow-up to a dominant performance on Sunday against the

Diamondbacks in which he allowed just one run on two hits over seven innings.

It’s been an up-and-down year for Chatwood, who boasts a complete-game shutout against the Giants in April, but also

six (of eight) starts in which he has allowed four runs or more.

Despite his rocky second inning, Chatwood and the Rockies kept things close, ultimately falling 6-2 thanks to seven

strong innings from Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw. Colorado’s Jake McGee allowed a run in the eighth, a solo home

run by Cody Bellinger.

To call this Chatwood’s worst start of 2017 is accurate, statistically, but it was really just the one bad inning that did him in.

As is the case for any pitcher, really, it was walks that caused his undoing. He threw 85 pitches on the night, only 45 for

strikes. Chatwood tends to give up big innings when he struggles with control, just as he did on Friday night.

In his now six seasons in the big leagues, walks have played a part in several of his worst outings each season. His

results in the games that followed have been mixed.

2011: On August 16 of his rookie season with the Angels, Chatwood was on the wrong side of a 7-3 loss to the Texas

Rangers in Anaheim. Chatwood allowed five earned runs over 2-plus innings, surrendering eight hits and two walks. He

failed to retire any of the five batters he faced in the third inning, including a leadoff home run to Josh Hamilton. He threw

68 pitches, only 37 for strikes.

The loss was his ninth on the year in his 23rd start. Chatwood didn’t fare much better in his next start, suffering another

loss and lasting only 3.2 innings. He was demoted to the bullpen following that start. Chatwood made one more start in

late September, again taking a loss, that time lasting only 2.2 innings. He ended the season with a 6-11 record and 4.75

ERA.

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2012: After coming to Colorado in a trade for Chris Iannetta, Chatwood started this season in the bullpen before being

sent back down to Triple-A. He joined the club full-time in August in a starting role. His toughest outing that year came

Sept. 3 against the Braves in a 6-1 Rockies loss.

Chatwood allowed all six Atlanta runs, five of them earned, on only three hits. His real undoing was the five walks,

including three in a four-run third inning. He did not return to pitch the fourth. Chatwood threw 71 pitches in the game, 41

for strikes.

He fared slightly better in his next outing, allowing two runs over five innings in a no-decision against the Phillies.

Colorado lost the game 3-2. Chatwood finished 2012 with a 5-6 record and 5.43 ERA in 12 starts and seven relief

appearances.

2013: The Braves again proved to be Chatwood’s foil the following season in a 9-0 undressing on July 31 in which the

right-hander did not escape the third inning. Chatwood allowed eight runs, seven earned, on 10 hits in the loss. It was the

highest runs total Chatwood has allowed in his career, due in part to a seven-run third inning in which he retired just one

of the nine batters he faced. The eight runs he allowed in that game were as many as he allowed in the entire months of

May and June combined that year.

Adding injury to insult, Chatwood strained a hamstring running sprints ahead of his next start and was soon after placed

on the disabled list with a mid-back strain, missing the entire month of August. His first start after returning from the DL did

not go well, either. He walked three batters in 2-plus innings, including two in a row in the third inning (following a home

run) before being pulled. Still, 2013 was his first winning season; he ended the season 8-5 with a 3.15 ERA in 20 starts,

leading Colorado’s starters in ERA over 111.1 innings pitched.

2014: Chatwood’s 2014 season was cut short when he suffered a UCL injury in his throwing arm after just four starts. He

underwent Tommy John surgery and missed the remainder of 2014 and all of 2015. Chatwood was relatively consistent

across those four starts before going down with injury, picking up a win and three no-decisions.

In his final start, on April 29, Chatwood allowed three runs on six hits over 5-plus innings. In the sixth inning he walked two

hitters, sandwiched around a base hit, before leaving the game with tightness in his throwing arm. That injury, of

course, proved to be season-ending. He ended the year 1-0 with a 3.87 ERA.

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2016: Chatwood made a career-high 27 starts in 2016 (also tying a career-high with 27 games played), allowing three

runs or less in 18 of those starts. In 10 outings he allowed one run or less. In two of those starts, however, he allowed

seven runs – and one of them proved far worse.

In a July 19 start at Coors Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, Chatwood allowed seven runs, all earned, in 3-plus innings.

He took the loss in a 10-1 blowout, Colorado’s 50th team loss on the season. A five-run fifth inning, which began with a

walk, was his ultimate undoing. In that frame Chatwood allowed a home run, a single and three doubles (in addition to the

walk). A leadoff single followed by a walk in the next inning spelled the end of the road for Chatwood after throwing 64

pitches.

He responded with a shaky five innings in his next outing, allowing only one hit and no runs, but walking eight hitters and

striking out six. Chatwood picked up the win in that one, a 7-2 victory over the Braves. His best major league season

came to an end with a final record of 12-9 and a 3.87 ERA.

Chatwood will likely have to wait a full week to gain redemption. His turn in the rotation is scheduled to come again on

Friday in the first of a three-game series at Cincinnati. With the loss, Chatwood fell to 3-5 on the season. His ERA sits at

5.25.

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Clayton Kershaw defeats Rockies to reclaim NL wins lead By MHS Staff / Mile High Sports | May 12th, 2017

A game that looked like it was going to get away from the Colorado Rockies early proved to be closer than expected down

the stretch – not quite a mirror image of Thursday night’s seven-run comeback by the Dodgers – but enough to keep a

raucous Coors Field crowd dialed in until the final out of a 6-2 Dodgers victory on Friday. Dodgers

starter Clayton Kershaw (6-2, 2.43) earned his NL-leading sixth win, now one ahead of Rockies rookie Antonio Senzatela.

One night prior the Rockies jumped out to a 10-0 lead early, only to have the Dodgers scratch back into things

before Greg Holland slammed the door on a 10-7 Rockies victory. On Friday, Tyler Chatwood (3-5, 5.25 ERA) spotted the

Dodgers five runs in a shaky fifth inning in which he walked three batters and allowed three extra-base hits. It was

Chatwood’s shortest outing of the season, as the right-hander lasted only 4.1 innings but threw 85 pitches (only 45 for

strikes). Chris Rusin pitched 2.2 innings of one-hit relief. Jake McGee allowed a solo home run in the eighth.

Colorado grabbed a single run off Kershaw in both the third and fourth innings. DJ LeMahieu and Carlos Gonzalez each

had an RBI single and a pair of hits in the loss. Charlie Blackmon had a pair of hits for Colorado as well. Raimel

Tapia drew a leadoff walk in the eighth, but the Rockies couldn’t capitalize as Blackmon, LeMahieu and Nolan

Arenado struck out in order to end the inning. It was a rough night for Arenado, who also grounded into a pair of double

plays.

The loss evens the series at one game apiece heading into Saturday’s matchup. Tyler Anderson (2-3, 6.69) was pushed

back from a Thursday start due to a knee injury and is scheduled to go for Colorado. He’ll face Alex Wood (3-0, 2.73),

who is making his eighth start of the year. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. MDT.

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Colorado Rockies recall Raimel Tapia, option Jeff Hoffman By Aniello Piro / Mile High Sports | May 12th, 2017

The Colorado Rockies have recalled prized prospect Raimel Tapia from Triple-A Albuquerque and have optioned

pitcher Jeff Hoffman, the club announced on Friday.

Tapia, 23, has been tearing it up in Triple-A, posting a .400 batting average which is good for second best in the

Pacific Coast League. Tapia’s versatility and quickness will help give the Rockies a new dimension in all aspects of the

game.

“This guy is playing great,” manager Bud Black said ahead of Friday’s game. “His skillset, hitter potentially off the bench or

to start a game, pinch run, steal a base, play defense.

“I think Tapia, the way he’s playing, gives us the best player from Triple-A.”

Tapia has been great in the minor leagues this season, but due to the Rockies logjam in the outfield, he has been unable

to find a permanent home at the Major league level at this point.

Tapia was called up in September of last season, posting a batting average of .222 in 24 games.

Hoffman was demoted following the best start of his professional career, striking out eight batters en route to the Rockies

10-7 victory over the division rival Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday night.

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Kershaw’s greatness, Murphy’s law defeat Rockies in Denver By Drew Creasman / BSN Denver | May 12th, 2017

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies just had one of those days at the ballpark where their very best efforts ended with a

whimper. They arguably had more good at-bats in this game than the Los Angeles Dodgers did, but a terrible second

inning and some stupendously bad luck cost Colorado in a 6-2 loss at Coors Field.

With one exception, every run the Dodgers scored came in a second inning that saw Rockies starter Tyler

Chatwood momentarily lose all command. He issued walks to Cody Bellinger and Christ Taylor before Chase Utley hit a

line drive to center field that Charlie Blackmon misplayed and ended up a two-RBI triple.

Blackmon likely would never have caught the ball, but if he kept it in front of him the rest of the inning but another walk

to Yasiel Puig and a pair of two-out doubles from Joc Pederson and Corey Seager quickly made it 5-0, Dodgers. What

was even more frustrating from the Rockies perspective is how quickly Chatwood turned things around, making an

adjustment by going to the curveball more for the rest of the game and cruising through the next two innings.

Colorado was a good defensive play or a couple of walks from limiting the damage in that inning to just a run or two but

the five spot with Clayton Kershaw on the mound was a bad omen.

The Rockies made a hell of an effort to get back in the game, though. In fact, they managed to put base runners on in

every single frame against Kershaw until the sixth. It started with coming right back in the second and getting runners at

second and third with just one out after a Carlos Gonzalez double. But Pat Valaika and Dustin Garneau struck out back-

to-back and the home club couldn’t even get one run out of it.

It started with coming right back in the second and getting runners at second and third with just one out after a Carlos

Gonzalez double. But Pat Valaika and Dustin Garneau struck out back-to-back and the home club couldn’t even get one

run out of it.

Similarly, in the third, Blackmon hit a one-out triple and came in on a single from DJ LeMahieu to give the Rockies a run,

but Nolan Arenado hit into his second consecutive double play to end that threat.

The Rockies got a walk from Mark Reynolds and another base hit from CarGo in the fourth to plate the second run. Then

Valaika reached via error and it looked like something might finally break Colorado’s way but an attempt to move up on a

ball in the dirt ended up being controversially overturned to rule Valaika out. Garneau then hit a pop fly that would have

been a sac fly if not for the play before it, and the Rockies missed a chance at a third run.

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In the fifth, Chris Rusin almost started things with an infield single but the throw to first barely beat him. Blackmon followed

with his second base hit of the game and LeMahieu hit a screamer that — of course — turned into a double play behind

Blackmon as it was right at the second baseman Taylor.

The Rockies went down in order for the first time in the sixth. They did so again in the seventh. Kershaw is now 89-0 when

he is staked to at least a 4-0 lead. He gave up more hits (7) than Chatwood (6) but was able to wriggle out of everything

with a bit of help from Mr. Murphy and his Law.

In the top of the eighth, Cody Bellinger hit his seventh home run of the season off of Jake McGee, a towering shot over

the right-field scoreboard, to make it 6-2. He has played in just 16 games.

Raimel Tapia, who was called up this afternoon, worked a walk to lead off the eighth, but he was left there. All told,

Colorado left 12 men on base.

The Rockies hit the ball hard all night but did themselves in with a bad inning defined by walks and a defensive mistake.

Chatwood was a pitch away from escaping that inning and Colorado twice came away with nothing when a sac fly would

have plated one and a single would have brought in a pair. Despite the final score, this was a pretty close game.

They fell to 23-14 on the season but still hold a game-and-a-half lead over these Dodgers for first place in the National

League West with two more to play in this series.

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Rockies call up Raimel Tapia, send down Jeff Hoffman By Drew Creasman / BSN Denver | May 12th, 2017

DENVER – The Colorado Rockies have once again called up prospect outfielder Raimel Tapia to join the MLB club. Jeff

Hoffman, who pitched brilliantly on Friday, was sent back down to Triple-A. He was always scheduled to make one spot

start and Bud Black says the Rockies are confident that Hoffman will be able to take what he did on Thursday and fold it

into the steady development he has been making this season, continuing to build upon it back in Albuquerque.

We will almost certainly see Hoffman again this season but he could still use some polish and the performances of Kyle

Freeland, Antonio Senzatela, and German Marquez make it easy for Colorado to give him all the time he needs to iron

things out.

Tapia was hitting a ridiculous .405 at Triple-A and was in the midst of a 16-game hit streak when he got the call. There is

only one of the 24 games he played for the Isotopes in which he did not reach base. Colorado is hoping he can provide

some decent at-bats off the bench and a little added versatility in the outfield.

“This guy is playing great. He’s hitting. Could pitch-run, steal a base. Play defense,” manager Bud Black says. “I think this

gives us the best player from Triple-A. And man, the guy has hit. With a four-man bench, he gives us some options.”

The Rockies are now back to having four men on the bench after a day where they carried just three. Bud Black also says

Tapia could get some spot starts so it will be fascinating to see what role he plays as Gerardo Parra and Carlos

Gonzalez also factor in. Tapia has yet to really impress at the MLB level but he has also yet to get any kind of sustained

look. This seems an unlikely time for that to happen, but Black has shown a willingness to stick with guys once they get

hot. Mark Reynolds has taken the defacto first base job, with Ian Desmond finding himself out in left field most of the time.

If Tapia can really get going, he could finally carve out his spot on the roster but it’s going to be a difficult path to clear.

The Colorado Rockies are overflowing with so much talent, they had to send down a guy who just struck out seven

Dodgers in dominant fashion and are having a hard time finding a place for a kid that is hitting .405. These are the New

Day Rox.

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Grab the Kleenex: Antonio Senzatela will pitch on Mother’s Day By Drew Creasman / BSN Denver | May 12th, 2017

DENVER – For Colorado Rockies rookie Antonio Senzatela, it has been a whirlwind, surreal trip around the sun.

A year ago, he missed the vast majority of his Double-A season with an injury and then after the tragic death of his mother

due to cancer.

In a season that has seen the Mark Reynolds Renaissance, the Gerardo Parra Rebound, and the Bullpen Boom, it has

been 22-year-old Senzatela whose story is the most inspirational. We are fond of saying that sports are not life and death.

This is true. But oftentimes, they are life. This game, silly as it is, is something a great deal of people — myself included —

have given large chunks of our time … of our life … to.

Senzatela says he pitches to make his mother proud.

It’s absurd to believe that if his numbers were less stellar, that wouldn’t be the case, but it’s just human nature to see a kid

who is 5-1 and leading the team with a 2.86 ERA and an NL Rookie of the Month award and not get a bit teary-eyed. If the

story hasn’t been emotional enough, as fate would have it, Senzatela is scheduled, Bud Black confirmed today, to pitch

the final game of the Rockies-Dodgers series this Sunday afternoon. Mother’s day. Make sure you have a box of Kleenex

ready.

It’s already been a wild ride for the Rockies righty. He described each surprising moment as his smile grew wider and

wider. “I make the team. I’m really happy. I make the rotation … more happy. I get to 5-1? That’s really good. Just try to

keep it going.”

It will be an emotional day on Sunday, but the most impressive thing about the rookie has been the way he has managed

to keep his emotions in check. His last time out, he faced the defending champion Chicago Cubs in a bases-loaded,

nobody out situation and managed to work out of it allowing just one run and still picking up the win.

He said to himself on the mound: “Ok, now it’s my time, take it easy and make a quality pitch right here.” Now is his time,

indeed. This Sunday, Mother’s Day — his first without mom — Antonio Senzatela, no matter what happens, will make a

whole lot of people incredibly proud.

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Here’s How the Rockies Are Winning the West By Jeff Sullivan / Fangraphs | May 12th, 2017

The Rockies were this offseason’s popular dark horse. Not everybody agreed on that, naturally, but if they did, then the

Rockies wouldn’t have been a very good dark-horse candidate. A team has to be rated low in order to be underrated, and

there was plenty of chatter the Rockies could surprise and push for the wild card. The FanGraphs community determined

the preseason projections were too low on the club, so coming in, there was a certain amount of hype. There was faith!

Faith in the Colorado Rockies.

Among the things that have happened: Ian Desmond got hurt. Tom Murphy got hurt. Tony Wolters got hurt. Jon

Gray got hurt. David Dahl got hurt. And Chad Bettis got sick. Over the course of the last few months, the Rockies roster

has been beaten and battered. And it’s also managed to win 22 of 35 games. At this writing, it’s the Rockies who are on

top of the NL West, and it’s the Rockies who have so substantially boosted their own chances of making the playoffs. For

the first time in so many years, the Rockies could be delivering on their promise. There are two major reasons why they

are where they are.

Interestingly enough, this doesn’t have a lot to do with the hitters. There have been some bright spots, like the suddenly

fascinating Mark Reynolds, but the Rockies rank just 13th in runs per game, and that’s without adjusting for ballpark. By

wRC+, the Rockies are a woeful 27th, and although I’m open to the idea that wRC+ is unfair to the Rockies’ bats, they still

haven’t been good, not overall. The story of the season to date is all about run prevention.

On that side of things, the Rockies rank 14th in runs allowed per game. Taking ballpark into account, the Rockies shoot all

the way up to second in baseball in ERA-. This is a staff that hasn’t had Gray or Bettis. It’s a staff that intended to lean on

Gray and Bettis. The reinforcements and the existing support system have done the job, and as a critical component of

this, there are the grounders. The Rockies have been giving up grounders.

Here’s how the Rockies’ pitching-staff grounder rate has progressed year to year:

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The team has reached a new high within the observed window, and this is the highest team grounder rate in the game.

Obviously, when you’re talking about Coors Field, there’s reason to believe it’s better for a pitching staff to keep the ball

on the ground. Anything in the air is dangerous. Some credit goes to Kyle Freeland. Also guys like Tyler

Chatwood and Chris Rusin. Plenty of grounders have been there, which makes the next plot all the more encouraging.

You might not recognize sOPS+ as a statistic. That’s something tracked at Baseball-Reference, and it’s essentially OPS+

within a given split. Let’s look at opponent production against the Rockies on grounders:

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An sOPS+ of 100 is league average. Last year, when the Rockies got grounders, they allowed an sOPS+ of 107. That

means they were something like 7% worse than average. This year, so far, that number has dropped to 71, meaning

they’ve been something like 29% better than average. To put this much more simply: The Rockies have generated more

grounders, and they’ve been much better at turning those grounders into outs.

That’s a fun thing to explore. I’ll borrow some information from Baseball Savant. Here’s where the Rockies have ranked

in average ground-ball exit velocity:

• 2015: 19th • 2016: 14th • 2017: 2nd

To support that, from a different source, here’s where the Rockies have ranked in ground-ball hard-hit rate:

• 2015: 23rd • 2016: 20th • 2017: 2nd

Based on the evidence we have, the grounders have been more weakly hit. I don’t know how to explain that, necessarily,

but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong or impossible to keep up. For now, it’s just a thing. And there’s this other interesting data

point, regarding the defense. Better performance on grounders would probably involve the pitchers and the defenders,

right? Last season, the Rockies ranked 8th in defensive shifts. This season, they rank 27th. They’re

having fewer alignments being classified as shifted, and while that might seem counterintuitive, last year the Cubs had

fewer alignments classified as a shift than anyone. It doesn’t mean defenders aren’t still being used well. The Rockies

have had many of the same players, but they’ve done better, and they’ve been positioned differently. So far, the synergy

of it all has been through the roof.

That’s one thing. One major reason why the Rockies are in first place is because they’ve gotten grounders and swallowed

them up. Then there’s the matter of the bullpen. The bullpen is the other major reason. I like to look at how bullpens fare

through the lens of Win Probability Added. Let’s examine some year-to-year Rockies ranks, shall we?

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To make sure you’re reading that correctly: Last year, the Rockies bullpen had baseball’s worst WPA. It was the least

valuable bullpen in the game. So far this year, the Rockies bullpen has baseball’s best WPA. It’s been the most valuable

bullpen in the game, and it’s not even all that close. Because it’s only May 11, it’s not like we can reach any firm

conclusions, but in case you’re curious, we’ve got WPA data stretching all the way back to 1974. Only one team’s bullpen

has ever gone from worst to first, and that was the 2008 Rays. That Rays team ultimately advanced to the World Series.

The Rockies would have a very limited precedent, and a very promising one.

The Rockies bullpen always looked intriguing. It was going to hinge on getting healthy versions of Greg Holland, Jake

McGee, and Adam Ottavino. So far, so good, mostly. And the front office also threw Mike Dunn into the mix. Those four

relievers are the four relievers on the team who’ve entered with average leverage indices of 1 or higher. I decided to do a

league-wide browse, looking at how all the teams have performed when narrowing down to only the relievers meeting the

same criteria. These are the relievers teams have trusted the most. We know the Rockies rank first in WPA to date. Just

looking at the higher-leverage guys, the Rockies relievers are 4th in ERA- and 4th in FIP-. They’re also just 12th in xFIP-,

so a few homers could make things worse, but you can’t assume homers until they happen. The group looks pretty good,

and it’s already been great.

Performance through five weeks has only a limited relationship to performance the rest of the way. Nothing for the

Rockies is going to come easy, and they’re going to need to hit a little more than they have. They’re probably going to

allow more home runs, and the bullpen is going to mix in the occasional clunker. But you can see why things are looking

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up. The relievers have delivered on their preseason promise. And despite the adversity with the state of the starting

rotation, the pitchers the Rockies have had have churned out a bunch of grounders, and the defense has been good

about handling them. This is a Rockies team you have to take more seriously than others from the past few seasons.

They might not be all the way there yet. There’s plenty of room for improvement. But considering the storm they’ve had to

weather, things couldn’t have gone much better than they have.

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Kershaw solid over 7, Dodgers beat Rockies 6-2 By Associated Press / ESPN.com | May 12th, 2017

DENVER -- Clayton Kershaw became a 20-game winner against Colorado -- the most victories any pitcher has ever

recorded versus the franchise.

Know what that says?

"I pitched against them a lot," he said.

Kershaw worked his way out of trouble time after time over seven solid innings, Chase Utley had a two-run triple as part of

a five-run second and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the NL West-leading Rockies 6-2 on Friday night.

"The box score probably doesn't tell the whole story. There was a lot of bad pitching," Kershaw said while holding his

young son. "I'll take it tonight, though."

Cody Bellinger added a solo homer in the eighth to help the Dodgers pull within 1 1/2 games of Colorado.

Kershaw (6-2) ran his record to 89-0 in the regular season when the Dodgers give him at least four runs of support. He

also improved to 20-6 against the Rockies, surpassing fellow lefty Randy Johnson for most all-time wins against the team.

On a tranquil evening, Kershaw allowed two runs and seven hits, but worked his way out of trouble with the assistance of

three double plays.

"It wasn't pretty and nothing was great about it by any means," Kershaw said of his outing. "Guys got some runs early for

me. Yeah, it wasn't pretty, but I'll take the win any day of the week."

The Dodgers took advantage of an erratic Tyler Chatwood (3-5), who walked four and allowed five runs over 4 1/3

innings.

"You've got to throw the ball over the plate and if they beat you getting hits, you can live with that," Chatwood said.

In the pivotal second, Los Angeles sent nine batters to the plate and drew three walks, all of which scored. Utley hustled

for his second triple of the season and Corey Seager added a two-run double.

"Walks," Chatwood lamented. "Walks are the thing that killed us."

Those five early runs were more than enough for Kershaw, who doesn't need much.

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"It's just a credit to him to get through that start with not having his best stuff," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.

The Rockies might argue that point.

"We just don't have too many opportunities against him and when we do he's one of the toughest to come through on,"

Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Dodgers: Roberts sees INF Adrian Gonzalez (right elbow soreness) going on a rehab assignment next week to play two

or three games. ... The last time Roberts heard from OF Andre Ethier, his back was giving him some problems when he

runs or bends over. "Physically, he's just limited," Roberts said. "If someone told me late June (for a return), I'd be very

excited."

Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (stress fracture in his left foot) has been cleared to step out of his boot for an hour a day. Soon,

he will start running/walking in the pool to strengthen the foot. "Slowly transitioning out of it," he said. "Hopefully, it doesn't

take three or four weeks." ... C Tony Wolters (concussion) went 0 for 3 and caught six innings in his first rehab assignment

with Triple-A Albuquerque.

ROSTER MOVE

RHP Jeff Hoffman was optioned to Albuquerque after picking up his first major league win Thursday. The team recalled

OF Raimel Tapia, who entered as a pinch hitter in the eighth and walked.

BELTING BELLINGER

Bellinger hit his seventh homer and leads the team despite only playing 16 games.

"I keep trying to find days to give him a blow, but it's hard to omit him from the lineup," Roberts said.

THIS & THAT

Rockies OF Carlos Gonzalez finished with two hits and an RBI. ... OF Charlie Blackmon hit his sixth triple. All of them

have been at Coors Field. ... With his double in the eighth, Dodgers C Yasmani Grandal has an extra-base hit in five

straight games.

UP NEXT

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Dodgers: LHP Alex Wood (3-0, 2.73 ERA) has struck out 38 and walked 10 in 29 2/3 innings this season.

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson (2-3, 6.69 ERA) had his start pushed back to Saturday because of inflammation in his left

knee. He will wear a protective brace.