Colorado Rockies morning after: 3 things we learned from Dodgers series

To open the 2022 regular season, the Colorado Rockies accomplished something that the club had not done in four years.

And, in the process, the Colorado Rockies might just have discovered a shutdown relief pitcher for the middle innings.

Left-hander Ty Blach tossed four innings of shutout relief for the Colorado Rockies, allowing just one hit, and C.J. Cron and Elias Díaz each cracked two-run homers on the way to a 9-4 victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 40,825 at Coors Field.

Colorado’s second straight victory against the Dodgers after a season-opening setback to the 2020 World Series champions on Friday allowed them to capture the three-game set for its first home series win against Los Angeles since winning three of four games against the Dodgers Aug. 9-12, 2018.

Until Sunday’s series clincher, the Rox had dropped eight consecutive home series to the team in blue.

Blach, who signed a Minor League contract with the Rockies in December, played a big role in Sunday’s win.

Making his first Major League appearance since 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his left elbow in 2020, Blach entered the game in the sixth inning with the Rockies leading 7-4.

The first two batters for Los Angeles reached base on a walk and a single, but from there, the Denver native retired the final 12 Dodgers he faced to pick up his first professional save.

“I think, for me, the most satisfying thing was getting that series win for us,” said Blach, who needed just 47 pitches for his four-inning effort with 35 of those pitches going for strikes.

“That was really cool. To come out here after a tough one (on) Opening Day. For us to be able to bounce back and get these last two, it shows the character of our team and shows how poised we are. So that was really great.”

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black liked what he saw out of Ty Blach

Ty Blach, the Opening Day starter for San Francisco in 2018, had made 16 appearances across three levels in the Baltimore Minor League system last year after returning from his surgery in 2020 before coming to the Rockies and delivering on his first opportunity.

Blach is also a native of Aurora, Colo., and grew up a fan of the Rockies so he was elated to take the mound for the first time as a member of the team.

“It is one of those lifelong dreams as a kid,” he said after Sunday’s game. “I don’t think it has quite set in yet. It’s a dream come true. It is one of the most wonderful things to ever happen to me. I just feel really, really blessed for sure.”

Colorado Manager Bud Black gushed about Blach’s four-strikeout, one-hit performance.

“Ty was outstanding,” he said. “I told him on the field I was so proud of him (especially with) what he’s been through the last few years.

“He lived up to his expectation of helping the Rockies after we signed him,” Black added. “So, it’s a great story. In the present, hopefully, this will continue—him helping us win. He was awesome. I mean, pitched great. We saw that in Arizona.

“He’s healthy. He feels good. He’s confident. He’s got a mix of pitches. He pitched today, which was great. Lovely.”

Here are 3 things we learned about the Rockies’ from the season-opening series.

1) Connor Joe continues to swing a big bat

After a solid spring training in which he batted .412 with a pair of home runs and eight RBIs in 14 Cactus League contests, Joe started the regular season right where he left off in Scottsdale.

The seven-year veteran had two runs batted in, including an eighth-inning game-winning solo homer, in Colorado’s 3-2 victory Saturday night against the Dodgers. The 444-foot blast to center field was the longest of Joe’s career and the first roundtripper for the Rox this season. He also had a hit and notched a run in the opener on Friday and scored a run in Sunday’s series finale.

2) Elias Díaz shows veteran presence behind the plate

Besides flashing his prowess offensively with his home run and two-hit day on Sunday, Diaz exhibited his experience in handling and understanding pitchers as he indicated to Black that Blach was throwing well enough and could remain in game in the ninth to finish Sunday’s contest. Diaz’s suggestion came despite his never having teamed up with Blach before Sunday.

“I said we (can) go,” Diaz said. “He (Blach) was great. His command. He came on and he looked really nice. So that’s why I said he was ready for another one.”

“I want to tell you the truth, this was the first time that I caught him,” Diaz added. “I saw him in spring training. I watched a game and how he liked to pitch. I understand how he liked to throw it.”

3) Fans flock to Coors Field for Dodgers series

Despite a 99-day lockout between players and MLB management that forced a late start to the season, fans came in droves to see Colorado and Los Angeles open the season. A total of 137,529 fans witnessed the three games at Coors Field with all thee contests drawing crowds of at least 40,000. The three-day attendance of 137,359 was the second-highest average attendance in the Majors for Opening Weekend.

Following their home series to open the year, the Rockies have a quick turnaround with a two-game road series set to begin at 2:10 p.m. (Central time)/1:10 p.m. (Mountain time) on Monday against the Texas Rangers.

Austin Gomber is scheduled to make his initial start on the mound in 2022 for Colorado with Taylor Hearn listed to go for the Rangers. Newly acquired Chad Kuhl is slated to start on the hill for the Rockies for the 6:05 p.m. (Central time) Tuesday contest with Spencer Howard the announced starter for Texas.

Rox Pile’s Kevin Henry will be with the team in Texas so we will have live coverage from Texas in both games of the series.