Norby collects first Rockies hit, makes nifty play in strong all-around showing

SAN FRANCISCO – Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer likes what he’d seen already from Connor Norby, acquired by Colorado at the Trade Deadline in the deal that sent reliever Victor Vodnik to Miami.

And though the Rockies found themselves on the wrong side of a 7-1 loss to the Giants on Saturday at Oracle Park, Norby provided a pair of bright moments on both sides of the ball.

Norby, who was 0-for-9 since debuting for Colorado on Tuesday in Arizona, laced a double to right field in the seventh to put an end to that skid. Four innings earlier, he flashed some defense with a slick pickup of a Bryce Eldridge grounder to show what he can do with the glove, as well.

“Yeah, I think it was huge for him,” said Schaeffer. “Get the monkey off your back for the first time as a Rockie, that was great. He's been taking really good at-bats. Norby’s been playing really well.”

There weren’t many other highlights for the Rockies on the day, as they were stymied yet again by longtime nemesis Logan Webb, who entered the day 11-4 with a 3.39 ERA in his career over 21 games (20 starts) against the Rockies – and even better in San Francisco, with a 7-1 record and 1.49 ERA in nine games (eight starts).

Webb was as tough as expected, with two bloop singles and Cole Carrigg’s RBI single to left field in the third plating Colorado’s only run. Seemingly reinvigorated after that third-inning blemish, Webb retired 11 consecutive Rockies after Carrigg’s RBI single eked into left field. Webb’s day was done after six innings and 80 pitches after he began feeling tightness in his back and shoulder following a liner from Brett Sullivan that hit him in that area in the fifth inning.

“Webb was really good,” said Schaeffer. “He was in, out, up, down, cutter in on the lefties' hands, changeup was good. Four-seam at the top was really good. We just had no answer for him today.”

On the hill for the Rockies, Michael Lorenzen labored again in a season that’s proven a challenge for the 34-year-old veteran.

Lorenzen’s afternoon began on an inauspicious note, as he issued two walks and labored through 25 pitches in the first inning before ultimately escaping the frame unscathed. Reflective of Lorenzen’s struggles this season, Saturday marked his eighth consecutive start in which he threw at least 20 pitches in the first inning.

“A lot of 0-2 counts,” said Schaeffer. “First hitter of the game, 0-2 to [Drew] Gilbert, led to a walk. Just had a tough time putting guys away. He was behind on the homer to Gilbert, but I just think the story of the day was he got ahead and just couldn't finish with a lot of foul balls, and they kept the at-bats alive. They battled today.”

Lorenzen agreed with Schaeffer’s assessment.

“Yeah, it's exactly right,” Lorenzen said. “Past few games, putting guys away. Felt like I get into good counts, and then I'm working deep counts, and then a ball in play, and then you start trying to kind of nibble a little bit, or make a better pitch, and then you start falling behind.”

That’s already a thin enough tightrope to walk given the Rockies’ difficulties against the Giants’ ace. Lorenzen’s inconsistency on the hill didn’t help matters.

Despite all of this, the game was knotted at a run apiece until the fourth, when the proverbial wheels fell off for Colorado.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for rookie Turner Hill, who lofted a fly ball to give the Giants the lead in his MLB debut. A hit-by-pitch and forceout followed, before Gilbert – who collected the Giants’ first hit against Lorenzen the previous inning with a solo homer – slapped a two-run single to right-center, driving Lorenzen from the game.

Parker Mushinski came in in relief and was greeted with Rafael Devers’ RBI double. Mushinski then threw a wild pitch to plate another run, followed by Bryce Eldridge’s RBI single to cap a six-run outburst and flip the script on the previously close ballgame.

Their three-game winning streak in the rearview mirror, the Rockies still have a chance to get off the deck on Sunday.

In the finale of their season-long 11-day, nine-game road trip through St. Louis, Arizona and San Francisco, a win would secure a winning record on this trip away from Coors Field and would also confirm a season-series win over the Giants for the first time since 2020.