Dodgers 6, Rockies 5
Sorry about the lack of early blog posting tonight. I promise there was a good reason, but it's too late and too detailed for me to go into it. As for the game, it was typical Coors Field craziness, but it was a great night for the Dodgers' bench, specifically Brad Ausmus and Mark Loretta, both of whom came up big in the eighth and ninth innings. But the one story that will probably fall through the cracks after this game was the return of Hong-Chih Kuo, who hadn't pitched in a week. While his boxscore line is ugly -- he coughed up a two-run lead by giving up a two-run homer to Clint Barmes -- his stuff was electric according to both Joe Torre and Brad Ausmus. His problems appear to be behind him.
``Great stuff,'' Ausmus said. ``That was the type of stuff where you're kind of bewildered tha they scored two runs off him. ... If he pitches like that the rest of the year, we will be in good shape in the eighth inning.''
Dodgers go to 12-5 and stay 1 1/2 up on the Pods. James McDonald against Ubaldo Jimenez tomorrow at 5:10 Pacific time.
Ausmus and Loretta are clutch! I don't know where Torre and Ausmus say that Kuo had "Great Stuff"?? He gave up a 2 run HR, threw a wild pitch, and Oh the lead? I can understand Kuo being rusty, but if he had "Great Stuff" he wouldn't of giving up the lead?? I like Kuo and hope he gets it together, but is this just sending a message to Kuo for a confidence boost?
Actually, anyone who has pitched or caught at a high level (college or above) could see that Kuo was throwing crisp fastballs to both sides of the plate and keeping the ball down well. When you look at the replay you'll see the fastball he threw was very firm and located well on the inside corner but just just maybe 3 inches too high. The fact that a guy hit a ball 3 rows deep at Coors Field means it would have been a routine fly ball anywhere else in MLB and we would have all been saying how wonderful he did tonight.
Tony: I've always wondered if the thinner air at Coors makes it harder to throw breaking stuff?? Less bite?
I also thought Kuo looked good. The most important thing was that he was throwing strikes, with good velocity. Sometimes a hitter just puts a good swing on a good pitch. Just because he gives us 2 runs doesn't mean he screwed up. Good bit of hitting from Barmes, that's all
Bill,
The lower air pressure at higher altitudes provides less wind resistance on rotating pitches (ie: breaking balls and sinkers) and as a result there is considerably less movement. Of course, considerably may only be 1 or 2 inches less movement, but to a major league hitter that's the difference between burying a slider under your hands and hanging it on the inside corner of the plate.
Thanks, that's what I thought.. it's not just greater carry distance that makes Coors a hitters' park. Pilots call it "density altitude" and hot weather cuts down on air resistance too. A hot day in August at Coors must be a pitcher's nightmare... BTW, loved "..the Dodgers never missed a chance to miss a chance..."