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Rockies let game slip away in tense late innings

By Ken Gurnick and Thomas Harding / MLB.com | 2:31 AM ET

LOS ANGELES -- Vin Scully Weekend at Dodger Stadium doesn't officially start until Friday, but the Dodgers got the

celebration started early Thursday night with a 7-4 comeback win over Colorado, Yasmani Grandal's two homers cutting

the magic number to win the National League West to four.

Trailing 4-1, the Dodgers scored one run on a pair of misplays in the sixth inning, then erupted for five in the seventh. One

scored on a bases-loaded walk to Adrian Gonzalez by Boone Logan, then Grandal blasted his second career grand

slam and his 27th homer of the season after his solo shot in the second inning. Grandal also had a missed fly ball ruled a

double and a single in four plate appearances.

"I was just thinking about tying the game up," said Grandal. "I wanted to get something up in the air to get a run in. I didn't

want to hit the ball on the ground. Being a catcher, that usually ends up a double play."

Colorado manager Walt Weiss noted that in the seventh, he went to Logan "with the exact matchups we wanted." Before

Thursday's three-walk performance, Logan's last walk was an intentional one on Aug. 23 and his last walk of commission

was Aug. 15.

"I felt good; I can't point it on feeling bad," Logan said. "I couldn't locate my slider, couldn't throw it for a strike when I

needed to. If I can't do that, it's tough on pitching because they start laying off. I took my lickin' tonight. It's part of baseball.

I'm not going to be perfect every time."

MEDIA CLIPS – September 23, 2016

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Brett Anderson came off the disabled list to start and pitched five innings, giving up four runs for the Dodgers in a tryout

for the postseason rotation. The bullpen followed with four scoreless innings, Luis Avilan (2-0) credited with the win and

Kenley Jansen his 46th save.

It's finally good to not be a full detriment to the team," joked Anderson. "I'll take the positives out of it more than the

negatives. Not 100 percent execution-wise, but body- and arm-wise, it was good. I still feel I'm a good pitcher when I can

go out there healthy."

This was the Dodgers' 44th comeback win out of 87 total and the 10th when trailing after six innings.

"It's one of those things now, regardless of the score, we feel we're going to find a way to win," said Dodgers manager

Dave Roberts. "As the season has moved along from April to now, that belief comes with having done it numerous times."

Weiss was ejected in the top of the eighth inning by plate umpire Alfonso Marquez for arguing a called third strike

on Nolan Arenado. At the end of the inning, Arenado was also ejected by Marquez.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

No look, no problem: Second baseman Chase Utley said he was just lucky, but he pulled off a ridiculous magical play to

end the fourth inning. After booting pitcher Tyler Chatwood's grounder, Utley retrieved the ball barehanded while falling

away from first base and blindly flipped it backward right to the outstretched glove of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez to

end the inning.

"The first thing he says, 'I can't believe I missed the ball,'" said Roberts. "Instead of acknowledging the greatness of the

play."

Keeping it going: DJ LeMahieu's first two at-bats were infield groundouts, but don't worry. LeMahieu will find his way on

base -- or in this case, around the bases. LeMahieu launched his 11th homer of the season to right-center off Anderson in

the fifth for a 4-1 lead to extend his on-base streak to a career-best 38 games.

Ethier's back: The winning rally started with a double from pinch-hitter Andre Ethier, his first extra-base hit after missing

most of the season with a broken leg. Ethier is trying to make the postseason roster in a crowded outfield.

"That was a big hit for him," Roberts said.

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And there goes the rally: After Arenado's disputed third strike, the Rockies were hit with bad luck. Carlos

Gonzalez slapped a line drive toward first base, where LeMahieu was after singling to open the inning. The ball caromed

off Adrian Gonzalez's glove, but not far, and the Dodgers ended up with an unassisted double play.

QUOTABLE

"It's tough to make calls. He's human, but I'm human, too. I'm just trying to win." -- Arenado on his anger, which led to the

ejection in the eighth. More >

"I kept my emotions in check." -- Roberts, who pretty much went crazy when Grandal hit his grand slam

CHATWOOD'S ROAD ACT

Chatwood threw 102 pitches in six innings, and continued his impressive pitching on the road by holding the Dodgers to

two runs and five hits, with five strikeouts and four walks. Chatwood lowered his road ERA to 1.88 in 12 starts.

"'Chatty' was real good again -- good fastball, good life to it, good movement," Weiss said. "In the later innings he started

mixing the breaking ball."

WHAT'S NEXT

Rockies: Rookie right-hander Jon Gray, who set a club record with 16 strikeouts while fashioning his first shutout and

first complete game in his last start, will lead the Rockies against the Dodgers on Friday at 8:10 p.m. MT.

Dodgers: Scott Kazmir starts in Friday night's 7:10 p.m. PT game as postseason rotation tryouts continue on Vin Scully

Appreciation Night. It will be Kazmir's first Dodgers start since leaving an Aug. 22 game in the third inning with a thoracic

neck injury. The club needs to decide on a fourth starter for the postseason. Kazmir is 2-0 against the Rockies and

pitched six scoreless innings against them in a July 2 win.

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Weiss, Arenado tossed in eighth inning Rockies manager, third baseman argue strike call By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | 2:48 AM ET

LOS ANGELES -- Already angry, Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado looked at the replay of his called strike three in

the eighth inning and blew a fuse. Shortly thereafter he earned an ejection from the 7-4 loss to the Dodgers on Thursday

night.

With a three-run deficit and a runner on, Arenado overcame Dodgers pitcher Joe Blanton's 0-2 count and thought he had

a walk on a 3-2 slider that was high to him -- but not to plate umpire Alfonso Marquez. Manager Walt Weiss earned his

third ejection of the season and seventh of his four-season managerial career by yelling from the dugout, in hopes that

Arenado wouldn't be tossed.

But while Weiss was having a quieter conversation with Marquez, Arenado went into the visiting team's video room at

Dodger Stadium. Arenado emerged convinced he was correct. That was the beginning of the end of his night.

En route to his position, Arenado yelled at Marquez from near the mound. Marquez immediately and demonstratively

signaled for Arenado to leave the premises.

Arenado sprinted to the plate to confront Marquez. Third-base coach Stu Cole rushed to restrain Arenado, and bench

coach Tom Runnells dashed to reason with Marquez.

"I saw the video and I saw that it was up; I thought it was up, and he didn't," Arenado said. "So I let him know that I saw

the video and it's up. And he said, 'No more.' I said something else and he threw me out. And I went up and told him

whatever I had to tell him. That was about it."

The loss to the National League West-leading Dodgers was the Rockies' 80th this season. Two more and they have their

sixth straight sub-.500 season. But, Arenado said, the ejection -- the second of his career -- was not a culmination of

frustration. He simply felt the Rockies were robbed of having two runners on for Carlos Gonzalez, who would have been

the potential tying run.

"CarGo can hit the ball a long way," Arenado said. "I know Blanton is doing a great job and he's a good pitcher. But I like

my teammate with a man at first and second and no outs. We have a chance. It hurt."

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Arenado also was upset over a pitch he thought was low that Marquez called a strike during his first-inning at-bat, which

ended with a swinging strikeout.

"It's tough to make calls," Arenado said. "He's human, but I'm human, too. I'm just trying to win.

"I just got upset and said some things I probably shouldn't have said."

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Rockies pay visit to Scully's booth, gift in hand By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | September 22nd, 2016

LOS ANGELES -- Rockies catching coach Rene Lachemann is 72, but remembers being 13 when the Dodgers moved to

Los Angeles from Brooklyn. Famed broadcaster Vin Scully's voice flowed from his transistor radio and filled his summer

evenings.

By 1960, Lachemann was a Dodgers bat boy, who was learning to play like the big leaguer he would become and

becoming well-versed in big league-sounding words of four or more letters. But the vocabulary changed when he would

have the honor of running a hot dog to Scully in the broadcast booth at the LA Coliseum.

"Just out of respect -- he was always too squeaky clean for me -- you didn't want to use any vulgar words around him,"

Lachemann said, laughing.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss can laugh about one of Scully's most famous calls -- when the Dodgers' Kirk Gibson

hobbled to the plate on two bad legs and parked a ninth-inning homer to win Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Weiss

was the shortstop for the Athletics, who lost the game and eventually watched the Dodgers win the Series.

On the field, he didn't hear Scully. He noted that in the A's clubhouse, all he and his teammates could hear was

thunderous applause for a half-hour after the game. But thanks to replay after replay, Scully's call sent him into cold

sweats.

"There was a little while there where it was my biggest nightmare, and Vin Scully was my Freddy Krueger," Weiss said. "I

can hear that call …'She is gone!'"

Former Rockies outfielder Ryan Spilborghs doesn't have to dream Scully's voice into his head. He still has the DVD from

June 10, 2006. It was the first time Spilborghs played against the Dodgers -- he walked and scored as a pinch-hitter in the

sixth inning of a 12-9 Rockies victory. He often plays it, not to bask in the glory, but just to listen.

"His call for me?" Spilborghs said before going into a flattering imitation of a thrill of a lifetime. "Ryan Spilborghs from 90

miles north of Los Angeles, from Santa Barbara. He went to UC Santa Barbara with Skip Schumaker."

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Scully, who turns 89 in November, of course, is winding down a career that started in Brooklyn in 1950, and this

weekend's four-game set with the Rockies will be the final home series he will call. So, the Rockies joined all of baseball

in celebrating Scully.

All of the Rockies' players, staff, broadcasters and club owners signed the "LAD" plate from the out-of-town scoreboard at

Coors Field. Weiss, Lachemann, bullpen coach Darren Holmes, and players Nolan Arenado, Nick Hundley and Adam

Ottavino made the presentation in Scully's TV booth.

Arenado is just 24, having grown up in Lake Forest, Calif. Even today, when he and his family and friends get together

during the offseason, he admits engaging in the activity children in Southern California are doing today.

"The call with Kirk Gibson, when we play Wiffle ball sometimes we'll make the call," Arenado said. "It's pretty awesome."

Worth noting

• The Rockies scratched Gerardo Parra from the lineup about 90 minutes before Thursday night's game because of

illness. Stephen Cardullo started at first base in Parra's stead.

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Gray looks to improve his record in LA By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | September 22nd, 2016

Friday night is Dodgers left-hander Scott Kazmir's turn to demonstrate that he is postseason ready.

In the second of four games against the Rockies, Kazmir will be opposing Rockies rookie righty Jon Gray, who is coming

off a club-record 16 strikeouts in his last start, a home shutout victory over the Padres. But more important, it will be

Kazmir's first appearance since Aug. 22 -- before he was shelved with a thoracic neck injury.

Kazmir has a positive history against the Rox: 2-0 with a 3.71 ERA in three career starts. Kazmir held the Rockies to three

hits in six scoreless innings in a 6-1 victory on July 2.

Three things to know about this game

• Gray is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers, but is 0-2, with a 4.22 ERA at Dodger Stadium.

• Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado is feast-or-famine against Kazmir: 2-for-5 with a home run and three strikeouts.

Also, Rockies leadoff man Charlie Blackmon enters with an 11-game hit streak.

• Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is the star of Gray's nightmares. Gonzalez is 4-for-13 with a home run and a

.538 slugging percentage.

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Starting at bottom, Gray rises to top of rotation Rockies rookie didn't win until 14th start, but he has best Coors game ever By Tracy Ringolsby / MLB.com | @TracyRingolsby | September 22nd, 2016

The moment is permanently etched in Colorado Rockies right-hander Jon Gray's memory.

Winless in 11 big league starts, having allowed 11 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings in his first two starts this season, Gray

began start No. 3 by giving up back-to-back singles to Jon Jay and Wil Myers in San Diego to open the bottom of the first

inning May 2, and Matt Kemp doubled them home.

Reality slapped Gray across the face.

"As I was backing up home plate following the double, I was like, 'Oh, I'm gonna be on a plane to [Triple-A] Albuquerque

in the morning, so I might as well have fun while I'm out here tonight.'" Gray recalled. "Then I just started punching

everybody out. It was great. I started to believe. I thought, 'Why don't I take this attitude out there every time?'''

Gray never did make that flight back to the Minor Leagues. Oh, he lost that game, 2-1, and then pitched seven shutout

innings for a no-decision his next time out at San Francisco before finally getting his first big league victory, in his 14th

start, 5-2 against the defending National League champion New York Mets on May 13.

Now it's late September. Gray will make the next-to-last start of his rookie season on Friday night against the NL West-

leading Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Albuquerque is in his rearview mirror. He has spent the summer emerging as the

ace of the Rockies' rotation, making that very clear last Saturday night at Coors Field when he pitched arguably the

greatest game in franchise history.

In the first complete game of his big league career, Gray, the third player taken in the 2013 Draft, pitched a four-hit

shutout. He struck out a franchise-record 16 Padres hitters without allowing a walk, earning a Game Score of 95, the

highest in Rockies history and the highest by any big league pitcher this season.

And Gray did it at Coors Field, where he is 7-2 in 14 starts this season.

Only four other pitchers even had Game Scores in the 90s at Coors Field, including Dodgers right-hander Hideo Nomo,

whose no-hitter, which came 20 years to the date before Gray's shutout, chalked up a 91. That was previously tied for the

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highest Coors Field Game Score with Jeff Francis' two-hit shutout of the Cardinals on July 24, 2006, and Marlins right-

hander Pat Rapp's one-hitter against the Rockies on Sept. 17, 1995. Chad Bettis had a Game Score on 90 in a two-hit 6-

0 victory against the Giants on Sept. 5 this season.

That overwhelmed rookie who four months ago was making plans for a demotion to Albuquerque has pitched his way into

the role of ace in a rotation that will be filled with youth and high expectations next year.

The Rockies are expected to have a five-man rotation in 2017 that will also feature Bettis, who will pitch against the

Dodgers on Saturday having made 15 quality starts in his past 18, Tyler Chatwood and rookies Tyler

Anderson and German Marquez, who made his first big league start Wednesday, allowing one run in five innings of an

11-1 victory against the Cardinals.

It starts, though, with Gray, who according to Stats Inc., has the sixth-best pitcher's WAR in the NL, behind Jose

Fernandez of the Marlins, Noah Syndergaard of the Mets, Max Scherzer of the Nationals and the Giants duo of Johnny

Cueto and Madison Bumgarner.

"That's cool," said Gray. "That's awesome."

That's a long way from the uncertain rookie who was 0-2 with a 5.53 ERA in nine starts a year ago and then had given up

11 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings in those two starts this season before that eye-opening first inning in San Diego back in

May.

"You have to learn not to dwell on what's happened," Gray said of his maturation on the mound. "It's the mentality that is

the biggest thing. It's not so much stuff. It's being mentally tough, having that ability to say, 'That happened. I'm gonna

shut it down now and not let it happen again.'

"It's tough sometimes. Sometimes it still gets in my mind. You give up a couple knocks and start to think, 'Oh now, here

we go,' but you can't let that happen. You have to think, 'Heck with this. I'm going after this next guy.' You have to have an

aggressive mindset."

Gray has come a long way from the uncertain prospect who arrived in the big leagues last August, and as late as early

May this season wondered if he belongs.

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"Last year I didn't really believe I was supposed to be [in the big leagues]," he admits. "There was doubt in my mind. I

wondered, `Am I good enough?' Now, I know I am. Now I try to make the batter feel he's already out before I even throw a

pitch."

Gray has been giving hitters every reason to feel that way. And he has been giving the Rockies every reason to feel they

have found that ace they have so badly needed for their rotation.

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Walt Weiss, Colorado Rockies honor Vin Scully before batting practice By Gene Warnick, Special to The Denver Post | September 22nd, 2016

For years, Walt Weiss had the same nightmare.

And each time those dreams included the voice of Dodgers announcer Vin Scully.

“Vin Scully is my Freddy Krueger,” Weiss said. “I’d hear, ‘She is gone’ and wake up in cold fits.”

The Rockies manager was referring to Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, when Los Angeles’ hobbled star, Kirk Gibson,

hit a winning pinch-hit home run against Oakland, for whom Weiss was playing shortstop.

Weiss, coaches Rene Lachemann and Darren Holmes, and Rockies players Nolan Arenado, Adam Ottavino and Nick

Hundley went up to Scully’s TV booth before batting practice Thursday to honor the legendary announcer who is retiring

after this, his 67th season.

Scully, 88, even joked with Weiss about that World Series call as the Rockies’ contingent posed with the legendary voice

of the Dodgers while presenting him the team-signed letters “LAD” from the Coors Field visitors’ scoreboard as a

retirement gift.

“I was very thoroughly impressed. I’ve said hello to Vin before in passing, but that was the first time I really got to sit down

with him,” Weiss said. “His mind is so sharp, it blew me away. He knew all the players, even though they didn’t have their

jerseys on. You had Rene Lachemann, who’s in his 70s, and Nolan Arenado, both of whom grew up listening to Vin.”

Ottavino, the Rockies’ closer, took along a camera for the occasion. He recalled listening to Scully when he was a child,

while his father was working in Los Angeles.

“I have never been as star struck than I was at that moment, short of seeing LeBron (James) or Michael Jordan,” Ottavino

said. “No other person has struck me like that.”

Lachemann was in junior high in Los Angeles when Scully moved with the Dodgers to from Brooklyn.

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“You didn’t even need a PA system when I was a (Dodgers) batboy here, because all you could hear between batters was

the (broadcast) because everyone in the stands had a transistor radio,” Lachemann said. “To see him retire … it’s just

something baseball is going to miss. He’s a great ambassador for baseball. You can’t get any better.”

Encore performance. When Rockies right-hander Jon Gray takes the mound Friday night, it will be a little like a golfer

heading to the first tee after shooting his first under-par round.

Gray struck out a franchise-record 16 Saturday in pitching his first career shutout, a four-hitter against San Diego.

“I just want to keep up the intensity,” Gray said. “I know I might not have the same feeling going in or might not have all

my (best) stuff. I just want to do enough to win.”

Catcher Nick Hundley said he wouldn’t do anything special with Gray, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft out of the

University of Oklahoma.

“Just get out of his way and let him do his stuff,” Hundley said.

Footnotes. Rockies first baseman Gerardo Parra was a late scratch from the lineup Thursday because of illness. He was

replaced by Stephen Cardullo. … Stu Cole was back at his normal spot in the third-base coaching box after being injured

Tuesday when he was hit in the head during batting practice.

Looking ahead

Rockies RHP Jon Gray (10-8, 4.42 ERA) at Dodgers RHP Jose De Leon (2-0, 5.52), 8:10 p.m. ROOT

What can he do for an encore? That’s the question for Gray coming off one of the best pitching performances in Rockies

history. Last Saturday against the Padres at Coors Field, the rookie right-hander set a franchise record with 16 strikeouts

during a complete-game shutout. Gray, who gave up only four hits, used his devastating slider to near perfection during

the best start of his career. It was the kind of performance that showed why he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2013

draft. De Leon, who was drafted in the 24th round of that same draft, is coming off a rough performance his last time out

against Arizona, when he gave up four earned runs and was pulled with two outs in the fourth inning. He is making just his

fourth career start.

Nick Kosmider, The Denver Post

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Rockies’ bullpen gives up grand slam, blows lead as Dodgers win series opener By Gene Warnick, Special to The Denver Post | September 22nd, 2016

LOS ANGELES — Sometimes, baseball is just hard to explain.

Take the Rockies’ Tyler Chatwood, who is 7-1 with a major-league leading 1.88 ERA in road starts this season.

Or reliever Boone Logan, who hadn’t walked a batter unintentionally since Aug. 15, issuing three consecutive bases on

balls in the seventh inning Thursday night.

Despite another quality start from Chatwood, Logan’s control issues ending up proving too costly in a 7-4 defeat to the

National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers.

After the three consecutive walks, Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal hit his second home run of the night, a grand slam

to straightaway center field, to put Los Angeles ahead.

“I felt good, I can’t put it on feeling bad,” Logan said. “I couldn’t locate the slider or throw first-pitch strikes when I needed

to. I took my licks tonight.”

DJ LeMahieu, who homered earlier, led off the eighth with a single and it looked like the Rockies might bring the potential

tying run to the plate when Nolan Arenado bounced back from an 0-2 hole to work a 3-2 count against Dodgers reliever

Joe Blanton. A walk would have brought up Carlos Gonzalez with two runners on and no outs.

But Arenado was caught looking at a called third strike that he vehemently argued with home-plate umpire Alfonso

Marquez. Rockies manager Walt Weiss came out of the dugout to protect Arenado and was ejected.

“I was just frustrated,” Arenado said. “I felt like (the pitch) was up.”

After checking the video of the call in the Rockies’ clubhouse, Arenado again let Marquez know of his disapproval while

on his way to his position in the bottom of the inning. That’s when Arenado was ejected.

“I probably shouldn’t have done that. I let emotion get the best of me,” Arenado admitted. “I was just trying to win … it’s

frustrating. Carlos was coming up and could have tied the game.”

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Chatwood, a native of nearby Redlands, Calif., allowed two runs on five hits in six innings with five strikeouts. It didn’t

quite match his July 6 start at Dodger Stadium, in which he pitched eight innings of one-hit ball, but it came close.

“I think it has a lot to do with his stuff. His sinker and cutter play well on the road,” Weiss said before the game. “He relies

a lot on movement and I think that’s enhanced on the road. Other than that, I can’t come up with a reason.”

Chatwood, 26, started his career with the Los Angeles Angels and went 8-5 for the Rockies in 2013 but missed most of

the past two seasons after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

“We knew he could be competitive, but not sure how durable,” Weiss said. “He got off to a great start and keeps taking the

ball every fifth game. He’s a bulldog.”

Chatwood said he’s feeling better since a stint on the disabled list last month with back spasms.

“I feel like I’m getting stronger as the year goes along,” said Chatwood, who left about 25 passes for family and friends.

If not for the bullpen’s disastrous seventh, they might have seen Chatwood get his 12th victory of the season.

Jordan Lyles replaced Chatwood and lasted just one batter, allowing a ground-rule double down the right-field line to

pinch-hitter Andre Ethier.

Logan entered and got pinch-hitter Andrew Turner to fly out to the warning track in right, but then walked the next three

batters — pinch-hitter Yasiel Puig, Corey Seager and Adrian Gonzalez, the last with the bases loaded to make it 4-3.

Grandal then launched his grand slam to straightaway center.

“Four-seamer down the middle, if you want to be exact,” Logan said of the fateful pitch.

Chatwood allowed a solo homer to Grandal in the second inning, the ball just clearing the fence and the glove of Rockies

left fielder David Dahl.

The Rockies gave Chatwood some early help, opening the scoring with three runs in the second inning. Carlos Gonzalez

led off with a single to center field and scored on a double by Nick Hundley and an error by Dodgers right fielder Josh

Reddick. Dahl then singled to shallow left, advancing Hundley. After Stephen Cardullo walked to load the bases, Daniel

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Descalso hit a sacrifice fly to left field to make it 2-0. The final run of the inning came home on Charlie Blackmon’s infield

single.

The Rockies made it 4-1 in the fifth on LeMahieu’s solo shot to center, his 11th of the season. It extended LeMahieu’s

streak of reaching base to 38 consecutive games.

The Dodgers started their rally in the in the sixth, as Grandal struck again.

After Gonzalez reached on an infield single with one out, Grandal doubled down the left-field line – a play that originally

was scored as an error on Dahl. With runners at second and third, Reddick’s broken-bat groundout made it 4-2. After a

walk to Joc Pederson, Chatwood got Howie Kendrick to ground into a fielder’s choice to end the inning and the pitcher’s

night.

Dodgers starter Brett Anderson, a former Rockie who has struggled through an injury-riddled season, pitched five innings,

allowing four runs on six hits.

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Jon Gray has his slider back Jon Gray reclaimed one of the best pitches in baseball and struck strike out 16 Padres. By Adam Peterson / Purple Row | @playerTBNL | Sep 23, 2016, 10:00 AM

August was not kind to Jon Gray. After taking down the Dodgers on August 2, Gray had a 3.77 ERA with a 120:37

strikeout-to-walk ratio in 114 2⁄3 innings. Opponents were batting .223/.299/.369 against him—roughly the season of

Alcides Escobar. In seven starts from August 7 to September 10, he put up a 7.71 ERA with a 36:16 K/BB in 35 innings.

Opponents hit .310/.382/.448 off him in that stretch—roughly the season of Dustin Pedroia. People were concerned. Was

Gray breaking down after a long season? Or were we witnessing another Rockies pitching prospect bust?

Then, on September 17, Jon Gray turned in the best start in franchise history. Like much of his record setting rookie

campaign, the story of Jon Gray’s dominant performance against the Padres starts and ends with his slider.

The slider has been not only the most effective pitch in Jon Gray’s arsenal, but one of the most dominant pitches in the

majors this season. According to FanGraphs’ pitch values (which seeks to help answer the question “How well has a

pitcher performed using a certain pitch?”), Gray’s slider sits just behind that of José Fernandez and Clayton Kershaw

but just ahead of Madison Bumgarner and Chris Sale.

But back in August, during his stretch of bad starts, he was struggling to command the pitch. Usually Jon Gray will

throw his slider about 26 percent of the time while relying primarily on his mid-to-high 90’s fastball (50% of his pitches)

and using his curveball (11%) and change up (7%) to set up the rest. As he gets ahead in the count, however, Gray uses

the slider to generate swings (68% swing rate) and misses (28% swing-and-miss). When he gets up to two strikes on a

batter, the slider becomes a deadly out pitch, which he uses 41% of the time. While he was struggling, he was getting

fewer swings—and, ipso facto, fewer whiffs—which limited his ability to use the slider. On September 10 against the lowly

Padres, he didn’t have a single pitch generate more than 15 percent swings and misses. For a strikeout pitcher like Jon

Gray, that’s bad news. Gray was a strikeout pitcher on Saturday, and this should give you an idea why.

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The first slider he threw was in an 0-2 count to Luis Sardinas with one out in the first. Gray had started him off with a 95

mph fastball for a called strike, followed by a 79 mph curve for another called strike. He was commanding the zone. You

have to think Sardinas knew what was coming, yet he seemed powerless to do anything about it:

That is the template for Jon Gray’s success: throw the fastball for strikes, surprise them with the curveball occasionally,

and finish them with a slider. And he worked this template over and over again to Padres hitters, who are 29th in the bigs

with a 25 percent strikeout rate.

Perhaps the most crucial at-bat for Gray, the one that showed how far he’d come from his struggles a month prior, came

in a protracted battle with Arcia, the Padres’ right fielder. Arcia stepped to the plate in the top of the seventh with one out.

Gray had already struck out 13 batters at this point, one short of tying the Rockies record. He started Arcia off with a 96

mph fastball for a called strike, then made him look absolutely foolish by getting him to swing at a 79 mph curve. Gray and

catcher Tom Murphy decided to go for his second strikeout on the curve, but it missed outside. Arcia and Gray both knew

what was next, but the slider also missed just off the plate. Arcia fouled off a 96 mph fastball to stay alive. Then, in

perhaps the only moment Gray got squeezed all night, the umpire called the 88 mph slider a ball, low and away. With the

count full, Gray knew he needed to get the one in for a strike, or at least one that looked like a strike. He’d done it all night.

He reached back and unleashed a 92 mph slider that would get him tried for witchcraft in 17th century Salem.

On Saturday, Gray threw his slider 26 times, 20 times for a strike. Nineteen of those sliders came in two-strike counts, and

he generated an absurd 56 percent whiff rate on the pitch. In all, 12 of his 16 strikeouts came on the slider.

Jon Gray might never pitch a better game for the rest of his career. He pounded the zone early and often (72 of 113

pitches for strikes), commanding his fastball and mixing in his (new) curveball. This allowed him to unleash a pitch that

just may just dominate the rest of the league for years to come.

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Rockies’ bullpen blows another late lead in 7-4 loss to Dodgers “Bullpen. Bullpen bullpen bullpen bullpen bullpen.” -Jeff Bridich’s offseason targets list (probably). By Isaac Marks / Purple Row | @IsaacSMarks | Sep 22, 2016, 11:09 PM

It’s the same old story we have heard throughout the second half: ‘The bullpen blows another lead.’

This time, it ended with the Rockies falling to the Dodgers, 7-4. Tyler Chatwood turned in six strong innings and LeMahieu

added his 11th home run of the year, but that wasn’t enough to overcome the team’s bullpen woes. If your team can’t hold

a late lead, there’s a low chance you’ll win the ballgame (astute analysis, I know, but what else can you say?).

The Rockies kicked off the scoring in the top of the second inning. Carlos Gonzalez led off the frame with a single and

was promptly driven in on a Nick Hundley double. David Dahl added a single and Stephen Cardullo walked to load the

bases, leading to a Daniel Descalso sacrifice fly. After a sacrifice bunt by Chatwood, Charlie Blackmon drove in Dahl with

an infield single, leaving the Rockies with a 3-0 lead.

The Dodgers struck back in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by Yasmani Grandal, his first of two on the

night.

LeMahieu added his solo shot in the top of the fifth to make the score 4-1 in favor of Colorado.

The Dodgers added a run in the sixth inning on an RBI groundout from Josh Reddick. The Dodgers had runners on

second and third with only one out, so kudos to Chatwood for limiting the damage in that inning. The Rockies entered the

seventh with a 4-2 lead.

That lead disappeared quickly in the seventh inning. Jordan Lyles came on in relief for Chatwood and promptly allowed a

double to pinch-hitter Andre Ethier, the only batter he would face. Boone Logan entered the game to face the four lefties

at the top of the Dodgers lineup, only to have the Dodgers pinch-hit two righties in Justin Turner and Yasiel Puig. Turner

flied out, but Logan walked Puig and Seager to load the bases, and then issued a free pass to Gonzalez to drive in a run,

making it 4-3. Grandal, the next batter, blasted a grand slam on a 2-2 pitch to put the Dodgers ahead, 7-4.

McGee came on in relief and allowed a single to Reddick (who was caught stealing during the next at-bat) and walked

Pederson before finally ending the seventh with a hard hit flyout to Gonzalez in right.

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The eighth was highlighted by both Nolan Arenado and manager Walt Weiss being tossed from the game arguing balls

and strikes on a called strike three to Arenado. Weiss was initially thrown from the game after the at-bat while Arenado

was tossed in-between half-innings.

The score ended at 7-4, capped off by yet another bullpen meltdown. This will undoubtedly be a focus of the front office

this offseason as the rest of the team seems to be coming along nicely. As we all know, however, there’s a direct

correlation between a good bullpen and team success (usually).

The Rockies and Dodgers continue the series tomorrow night at 8:10 p.m. MT. Jon Gray takes the mound, looking to

follow up his masterful performance earlier in the week as he faces off against Scott Kazmir.

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Vin Scully: 3 Alternate Gifts the Rockies Could’ve Given Him By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | Sep 23, 2016

Prior to Thursday night’s game at Dodger Stadium, the Colorado Rockies honored the amazing voice of the Los Angeles

Dodgers, Vin Scully, with a gift saluting his retirement and historic career. The Rockies presented Scully with the team-

signed letters “LAD” from the Coors Field visitors’ scoreboard as a retirement gift. It was one of many gifts Scully has

received this season as teams throughout Major League Baseball have honored him. He deserves every accolade for the

part he has played in so many MLB memories for so many people around the world.

Certainly the Rockies had a very thoughtful gesture for Scully with the letters. However, there were other options to give to

the legendary voice. Here are some alternatives if the Rockies decide to pay additional homage to Scully before wrapping

up their series at Chavez Ravine on Sunday.

A humidor

While Scully might not have accused the Rockies of cheating like his colleagues with the San Francisco Giants did, it’s

certainly a thoughtful gift. Anyone in the National League West appreciates Colorado’s history with the humidor, so why

join in the fun and hand him a humidor with a baseball inside?

A signed boxing glove from Yorvit Torrealba

We don’t know this for sure, but we’re guessing that Scully had a good time saying Torrealba’s name in the booth during

the years he played for the Rockies, Giants and other teams. We know he handled saying his name better than Harry

Caray did, but that’s a whole other story. So why the boxing glove? Don’t forget that the former Colorado catcher was

involved in one of the four biggest brawls in Rockies history … and Scully was there to witness it.

A seat from the row at mile high

What’s one of the things that sets apart Coors Field from every other stadium? We all know it’s the altitude, right? So why

not give Scully a seat from the famous Purple Row? No, not from our colleagues’ site but from the stadium itself. I’m

sure the purple would blend marvelously along with all of that Dodger blue that Scully has.

Those are my three thoughts on potential other gifts. What about you? What do you think the Rockies could’ve presented

to the legend? Drop us a note below and let us know.

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Nolan Arenado has quietly improved in 2016 By Andrew Dill / BSN Denver | Sep 23, 2016

With all of the media attention surrounding Kris Bryant and the Chicago Cubs, and rightfully so, Colorado Rockies third

baseman Nolan Arenado has seemingly flown under the radar, yet again. The three-time Gold Glove Award winner and

two-time All-Star is known for his incredible range and glove at the hot corner, however, his approach at the

plate continues to steadily improve, leading to eye-popping numbers.

During the 2015 campaign, Arenado broke out on the national stage slashing at a line of .287/.323/.575 with 43 doubles,

42 home runs, and 130 RBI. Those type of numbers put him in consideration for National League Most Valuable Player.

However, you know how the story goes, if you’re a great player on a terrible team, you’re not going to get as much buzz.

Oh, and Coors.

Arenado finished eighth in the NL MVP voting.

“It feels like the MVP every year is a [player] on [a] winning team,” Arenado said, “You gotta win ball games to get that

trophy unless you have a spectacular year like Bryce Harper had last year where it was just a unique year.”

Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals went on to win NL MVP, slashing at a line of .330/.460/.649 with 38 doubles,

42 home runs, and 99 RBI. Not to mention, he played for a playoff team. His on-base and slugging percentage were far

better, reaching his mark in 95 fewer at-bats than Arenado. Harper walked far more than Arenado, 124 to 34 respectively.

If anything, 2015 served as a measuring stick for Colorado’s rising star. In order to be a more well-rounded player,

Arenado’s approach at the plate had to improve.

Entering Thursday night’s contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Colorado has ten games remaining in their 2016

campaign. That can only mean one thing — Arenado has a chance to surpass last season’s statistics. Arenado enters

tonight hitting at a line of .294/.573/.573 with 33 doubles, 39 home runs, and 128 RBI.

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“The home runs would be great to eclipse, but that’s hard to do” Arenado said after Wednesday’s 11-1 victory over the St.

Louis Cardinals, “I’m not too worried about the home runs but the RBI’s is something I really want to beat. Obviously I

know I’m pretty close but you know, either way, whatever I do for the rest of the year I’ll be happy with it.”

Does that slash line look familiar to you? Arenado’s line is nearly identical to his 2015 season, however, one column really

sticks out — on-base percentage. In 2015, Arenado walked just a grand total of 33 times; that’s pretty crazy to think about

considering he hit .287 the whole season. However, in 2016, his walk total has nearly doubled, sitting at 64 walks entering

play Thursday night. His ability to lay off pitches that are outside of the zone speak volumes for how well Arenado

prepared not only prior to the season, but during. In all other ways he has been the same player, he’s just made 30 fewer

outs and replaced them with walks.

“I’m just happy I’m staying consistent,” Arenado said, “You know, my thing is that after last year, a lot of people were

questioning if I could do it again. I’m happy I’m able to put those questions to rest and I’m able to have another good year.

I’m just focused on helping the team win and good things are happening.”

Oh, and he has a pretty good lineup in front of him. Having three All-Star level players such as Charlie Blackmon, DJ

LeMahieu, and Carlos Gonzalez hitting in front of you will sure make a difference, and it’s showing.

“I gotta get Blackmon, DJ, and CarGo a lot of props for my runs,” Arenado said, “Those guys are just getting on-base for

me at a really high rate and I’m really thankful to have those guys on my team. Like I said, this team has been setting me

up for success.”

It is an exciting time to be a Rockies’ fan. Not only do they have a huge wave of rookies coming up and producing, but

their 25-year-old stalwart veteran, Nolan Arenado, continues to produce at a high rate, getting better year after year.

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Grandal's grand slam rallies Dodgers past Rockies 7-4 By Associated Press / ESPN.com | September 22, 2016

LOS ANGELES -- Down three runs after five innings, the Los Angeles Dodgers weren't worried. They rarely are these

days.

Yasmani Grandal homered twice, including a grand slam in the seventh inning, to rally them past the Colorado Rockies 7-

4 on Thursday night.

"We always believe we're going to win and that belief comes because we've done it before," Dodgers manager Dave

Roberts said.

Their 50th home victory reduced the Dodgers' magic number for clinching their record fourth consecutive NL West title to

four. Their division lead remained at six games after San Francisco beat San Diego 2-1.

"Let's get this thing over," said Grandal, who was 4 for 4. "Let's clinch this and win the division."

Luis Avilan (3-0) got the win in relief, pitching a scoreless seventh with one strikeout.

Kenley Jansen retired the side in the ninth for his 46th save in 52 chances.

"It's probably the most resilient team I've been on," Dodgers starter Brett Anderson said. "We're never out of it."

Rockies starter Tyler Chatwood, who came in with a 7-1 road record, pitched Colorado to a 4-2 lead before leaving after

six innings. Then the Rockies' bullpen imploded.

Jordan Lyles gave up a ground-rule, pinch-hit double to Andre Ethier to open the seventh. Boone Logan (2-4) took over

and loaded the bases on two consecutive one-out walks. He then walked Adrian Gonzalez, forcing in a run and leaving

the Dodgers trailing 4-3.

Grandal followed with his second career grand slam, sending a 2-2 pitch into center field and giving the Dodgers their first

lead of the game, 7-4.

Logan gave up four runs and one hit in one inning, walked three and struck out none.

"We haven't seen that from Boone all season," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said.

Grandal hit a solo shot in the second for the sixth homer given up by Chatwood in his last four games.

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Weiss and third baseman Nolan Arenado were ejected in the seventh for arguing balls and strikes. Carlos Gonzalez lined

into an unassisted double play at first base, where DJ LeMahieu was doubled off to end the inning.

Making his first start since Aug. 20, Anderson gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. The left-hander struck out two

and walked one after coming off the disabled list with a blister on his left index finger.

"It's finally good not to be a full detriment to the team," Anderson said. "I feel good and my body feels good. I kind of look

at this as my first actual start with everything being OK."

The Rockies took an early 2-0 lead on an error by right fielder Josh Reddick and Daniel Descalso's sacrifice fly.

LeMahieu extended his consecutive on-base streak to 38 games with a homer in the fifth, extending Colorado's lead to 4-

1.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: 1B Gerardo Parra was scratched an hour before the game because of illness and was replaced by Stephen

Cardullo. ... 3B coach Stu Cole, hit by a ball during batting practice on Tuesday and taken to a Denver hospital, was back

on the field Friday.

WHAT A PLAY

Chase Utley made an amazing play on Chatwood's groundout to second base in the fourth. Utley went to field the ball and

it escaped his glove as he spun around. Utley somehow grabbed the ball and flipped it with his right hand and his back

turned toward first base, where Adrian Gonzalez was fully stretched to make the play that ended the inning.

"The legacy of Chase continues to grow," Roberts said. "He makes this crazy no-look pass to first base. He said, `I can't

believe I missed the ball."

Utley called the play "pretty lucky."

VISITING VIN

It was Weiss' turn to visit Vin Scully. The team presented the 88-year-old Hall of Fame broadcaster with the letters `LAD'

from the Rockies scoreboard.

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"His intellect and recall of the game is amazing," Weiss said. "I didn't even think he would know who I was, but he knew

everybody, even the guys who weren't in jersey."

Weiss played shortstop for Oakland against the Dodgers in the 1988 World Series. He told Scully he still has nightmares

when he hears the call from Game 1 in which hobbled Dodgers pinch-hitter Kirk Gibson slugged the winning home run.

"Vin told me Gibson's home run was the most theatrical," Weiss said, "and that (Hank) Aaron's home run was the biggest

moment of his career."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Former Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda celebrated his 89th birthday Friday. With 68 years in the organization, he is the

longest tenured employee with Scully second in seniority at 67 years. Lasorda serves as special adviser to the chairman.

He was presented with a huge cake on the field before the game and the crowd sang "Happy Birthday." Lasorda and wife

Jo shared a kiss before the current Dodgers greeted him.

UP NEXT

Rockies: RHP Jon Gray (10-8, 4.42 ERA) is coming off a franchise-record 16 strikeouts in his first career complete-game

shutout, an 8-0 win over San Diego. He is 2-2 with a 3.38 ERA in five career starts against the Dodgers.

Dodgers: LHP Scott Kazmir (10-6, 4.59) starts for the first time since Aug. 22 after missing 28 games on the disabled list

with neck inflammation. He is 4-6 with a 4.11 ERA in 13 home starts this season.

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Rockies, Cardinals players tone-deaf amid anthem protests By David Schoenfield / ESPN.com | September 22, 2016

When you go to a sporting event, what do you think about when the national anthem is played? Do you feel patriotic? Do

you feel thankful? Do you think of those serving in the military? Do you think of the War of 1812 and the bombing of Fort

McHenry, which inspired Francis Scott Key to pen his lyrics?

Do you even know where Fort McHenry was located? Did you even know Francis Scott Key is the author of the "Star-

Spangled Banner"? Do you know who we fought in the War of 1812? Did you know the actual music to the song was

adapted from a British song? Does any of this matter?

Until a few weeks ago, when San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick kneeled before the anthem at a football

game to protest racial injustice in this country, none of that did matter much. We stood, we took off our hats, we

contemplated what to order at the concession stand or why Terry Collins would take out Addison Reed for Josh Smoker.

That all changed. Suddenly, the anthem means ... something. It has become another way to further divide this country,

symbolic, in some fashion, of this entire political season. There seems to be little room for discussion or nuance: You're

either with Kaepernick and others who have followed his lead across different sports, or you're against.

"Maybe a sporting event should simply be a sporting event. If we want displays of patriotism, we should be

volunteering in our communities, helping our neighbors, and trying to understand the plights of those different

from ourselves. Then we can all be proud to stand."

Against this background, there was a silly little stunt on Wednesday afternoon following the anthem at the Cardinals-

Rockies game in Denver. Cardinals outfielder Jose Martinez and Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez had a post-anthem

standoff. To what means and point? I have no idea, though I seem to remember this happening earlier this season in

another game. As their teammates dispersed to get ready for the game, Martinez and Estevez remained in front of their

dugouts, standing like the Queen's Guard in front of Buckingham Palace. At one point, Estevez donned a catcher's mask,

I guess in case the game started.

The delay lasted long enough that the umpires had to tell the managers to get their players off the field.

Look, I'm sure the two rookies thought they were just having fun. Maybe Martinez, from Venezuela, and Estevez, from the

Dominican Republic, were feeling especially appreciative on this night to play major league baseball.

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Even if that were the case, this is not the time for such behavior. Kaepernick says he has received death threats as a

result of his protest. Charlotte was burning. Seattle Seahawks star Richard Sherman had spoken earlier in the day about

how players are being misunderstood. "I think you have players that are trying to take a stand and trying to be aware of

social issues and try to make a stand and increase peoples' awareness and put a spotlight on it, and they're being

ignored," he said. "Whether they're taking a knee or whether they're locking arms, they're trying to bring people together

and unite them for a cause."

In the middle of all this, of an issue of vital importance, we get this ridiculousness at a baseball game.

I don't mean to sound so harsh. I'm sure Martinez and Estevez had good intentions. But that gets to the bigger picture:

Maybe it's time to stop playing the anthem before sporting events. What impact does the song actually serve if it's as

ubiquitous as James Taylor playing in the background while you're getting your teeth cleaned? As Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Bob Ford wrote in late August:

But it could also be suggested that the national anthem should be bigger than football, too, at least bigger than an August

exhibition game of no particular meaning. What exactly about that trivial event is worthy of being introduced by the playing

of a song that commemorates a moment in which the nation's independence was in the balance?

Still, it is played. It is played before nearly every game, in nearly every sport, at nearly every level where there is a public

address system. Why is that? "Habit" is the best answer. That and the unspoken belief that the two minutes it takes to

perform the anthem is less trouble than dealing with the blowback were the anthem not played to consecrate each game,

no matter how insignificant.

There's a bit of an uneasy relationship sports has developed here, with the anthem, with "God Bless America" during the

seventh-inning stretch, and, related, with the military. I'm all for honoring our servicemen and women, but many of the

tributes or presentations we've seen (such as the National Guard unfurling a big flag before a game) were actually paid for

by the military itself. Which means paid for by U.S. taxpayers. The Department of Defense paid pro sports teams $53

million in marketing contracts between 2012 and 2015. (After Arizona Republicans John McCain and Jeff Flake prepared

a report on this, the DOD reportedly banned the practice and the NFL called for teams to stop taking payments.)

So maybe a sporting event should simply be a sporting event. If we want displays of patriotism, we should be volunteering

in our communities, helping our neighbors and trying to understand the plights of those different from ourselves. Then we

can all be proud to stand.