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Colorado Rockies: Carlos Estévez joins an exclusive club

By Kevin Henry

Sep 28, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (54) pitches in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2021; Denver, Colorado, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (54) pitches in the ninth inning against the Washington Nationals at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
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Now in his seventh season with the Colorado Rockies, Carlos Estévez has had plenty of memorable moments during his tenure in the bullpen. However, with an efficient outing on Saturday night, Estévez joined an elite group of Rockies pitcher as a part of franchise history.

Carlos Estévez of the Colorado Rockies not only got the win on Saturday night, but he also made history

The 29-year-old right-hander stepped onto the mound with the bases loaded in the eighth inning of Saturday night’s contest between the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers at 20th and Blake. With the game tied at 2-2, Max Muncy stepped to the plate with the chance to not only put the visitors ahead, but also break the game wide open.

However, Estévez needed just two pitches to retire Muncy. After throwing a changeup for a ball, Estévez let loose with a 95.9 mph high fastball. Muncy swung and got under the pitch, flying out to center fielder Sam Hilliard to end the contest.

“He’s capable of that, right? He’s got experience now,” Colorado manager Bud Black said of Estévez. “He handled the moment. He threw a pitch at the top of the zone that a hitter has to make a decision on if it’s a high strike or not. Muncy is aggressive and, in that confrontation last night, Carlos got the best of him.”

In the bottom of the eighth, Connor Joe blasted a solo home run to give the Rockies a 3-2 lead, and Daniel Bard would record his first save of the season by retiring the Dodgers in order in the top of the ninth to give Colorado the win.

With his pitching in the top of the eighth, Estévez needed just two pitches to earn the victory. According to the Rockies PR department, that marked the 11th time in franchise history that a pitcher had needed two or fewer pitches to earn the win. Scott Oberg was the last pitcher to turn the feat, throwing a pair of pitches on May 19, 2015, to earn the win against the Philadelphia Phillies.

Next. Connor Joe discusses his mentality when he is the DH. dark

And yes, a Rockies pitcher has earned a win without ever throwing a pitch. On July 7, 2007, Alan Embree didn’t record a thrown pitch to grab the victory, picking off Washington’s Austin Kearns to end the frame. That’s one of only two times in MLB history that that has happened, along with B.J. Ryan accomplishing the feat in 2003 with the Baltimore Orioles.

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