|
 The Rockies also vindicated the thinking of manager Walt Weiss. He
batted his pitcher eighth for the first time in Rockies history and
made another key adjustment to his lineup involving shortstop Troy
Tulowitzki.
Batting second to start a game for the first time in nearly six
years, Tulowitzki doubled home two runs in the fifth off Cubs
starter Travis Wood (0-1) to put the Rockies ahead 3-1.
"It doesn't matter to me (where I bat), just as long as I get RBI
opportunities," said Tulowitzki, who is 8-for-18 with five doubles
and four RBIs this season. "I love those RBI situations. I love
being out there in the clutch. That's what I live for. That's what
my offseason workouts are geared at, and it's fun to come through."
The Rockies tacked on two runs in the sixth when first baseman
Justin Morneau, who entered the game 1-for-13, led off with a home
run, and left fielder Corey Dickerson singled home a run, giving him
seven RBIs for the season.
The only other time in their previous 22 seasons that the Rockies
opened 4-0 was in 1995 -- one of three seasons they reached the
playoffs as the wild-card team.
The Cubs, playing for just the third time in six days, are hitting a
mere .140 (12-for-86). They went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring
position Friday, stranded nine runners, including six in the first
three innings against Rockies starter Tyler Matzek.
"Their pitcher was struggling," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We
had plenty of opportunities. They found their way through it, where
we did not get the big hit, they did."
Matzek threw just 40 of 84 pitches for strikes and was unable to
command his fastball. He was lifted with the score tied at 1-1 after
giving up a walk and single to begin the fifth. Christian Bergman
(1-0) took over and snuffed out that rally. He fell behind shortstop
Starlin Castro 3-0 before getting him to ground into a double play
on a 3-2 changeup and retired third baseman Mike Olt on a grounder.
With Jorge De La Rosa beginning the season on the disabled list,
Bergman made the Opening Day roster as a long man. It had been
exactly one week since he pitched in a game.
"It's kind of tough not pitching for a while, but I just got to stay
sharp," Bergman said, "and be ready for whenever they need me and
come in and make pitches in tough spots."
Matzek batted eighth, and Tulowitzki hit second in the lineup for
the first time since May 27, 2009.
Weiss said he liked the arrangement against a left-handed starter
and preferred to have a dangerous right-handed hitter batting second
with two position players hitting in front of him.
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One of those position players was second baseman DJ LeMahieu, who
went 3-for-4 and reached base four times. Typically the Rockies'
eighth hitter, LeMahieu batted ninth and drove in Colorado's first
run with a two-out single in the second. The hit followed a double
by Matzek, who was given credit for a hit on a ball that went off
the glove of left fielder Matt Szczur.
Matzek allowed four hits and three walks, hit two batters and threw
a wild pitch but gave up just one run in the third on Szczur's
one-out sacrifice fly after the Cubs loaded the bases with no outs.
Matzek typically is able to command his fastball inside to
right-handed hitters that but was unable to do so while throwing
first-pitch strikes to just eight of the 21 batters he faced.
"It just wasn't there," Matzek said. "I had to rely on the slider
and my off-speed pitches more than anything. When that happens, I'm
not going to go deep in a game. I'm just going to go out there and
try and fight and get as many innings as possible."
Bergman, Brooks Brown, Rafael Betancourt and Boone Logan combined to
hold the Cubs to one hit over the final five innings, lowering the
ERA of the Rockies relievers to 1.26 (14 1/3 innings, two earned
runs).
NOTES: Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo reached base safely in his past 17
games, dating to Aug. 23. It is the longest active streak in the
majors and ties the longest streak of Rizzo's career (July 6-25 last
year). ...Paid attendance was 49,303, a sellout. Tickets distributed
were 50,967, a Coors Field record. The old record was 50,956 on
April 9, 2010. ... Both teams batted their pitchers eighth, the
first time that has happened since a Pirates-Cardinals game on July
13, 2008, when Joel Pineiro started for the Cardinals and Ian Snell
for the Pirates. ... Cubs RHP Justin Grimm (right forearm
inflammation) was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to
April 2, and RHP Brian Schlitter was recalled from Triple-A Iowa.
... Cubs C Wellington Castillo and LF Matt Szczur made their first
starts of the season. ... Rockies LHP De La Rosa (left groin strain)
threw 57 pitches in four innings in a rehab game Thursday for
Triple-A Albuquerque and is on course to be activated and start
Tuesday at San Francisco.
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