Feltner's road struggles continue as command suffers with altitude change

SAN FRANCISCO – Over the past six weeks, Ryan Feltner has been arguably – and maybe not arguably – the best pitcher on the Rockies’ staff, while seeing his ERA drop nearly two full points. He ended April at 6.30, and now enters the All-Star break at 4.55.

Facing the Giants on Thursday – a team that has given the Rockies right-hander troubles in the past – it wasn’t the opposing offense that got to Feltner as much as it was the altitude.

Accustomed to doing the bulk of his pitching at Coors Field in Colorado, where the altitude is about 5,280 feet (one mile) above sea level, Feltner didn’t have as much command at Oracle Park as he’s used to having at home.

That combination resulted in Feltner matching his season high of four walks, which were the primary reason that the Rockies’ 29-year-old lasted only 4 1/3 innings in a game that Colorado wound up losing, 8-2.

“He looked like he didn’t have much feel for the ball early on,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Early on, the command was shaky. But he reeled it in a little bit, battled through it and kind of held them at bay for a while.”

Fetner’s stat line was a tough read – four runs (all earned), six hits, two home runs and three strikeouts – and came after he was sharp in his last start against the Giants last Friday, when he had nine strikeouts across six innings while earning the win.

That game was at Coors Field, where Feltner generally feels more comfortable with his command. The numbers bear that out: Feltner is 3-1 with a 4.14 ERA in eight home starts this season, compared to 0-2 with a 5.32 ERA in five starts on the road. He has nearly as many walks on the road (11) as he does at home (13) in roughly half the innings.

In the rematch Thursday, there was really only one inning in which the Colorado starter struggled. That was in the fifth, when the Giants’ first five batters of the inning reached base and scored two runs, forcing Schaeffer to turn to the bullpen.

“Just wasn’t sharp,” Feltner said. “Struggled with the [coming down from] elevation to sea level. Pitches were moving a lot more than I am used to. Walks are uncharacteristic for me and I was frustrated by those.”

It’s common knowledge that batters get a lift when hitting in Colorado, given that the ball soars at that elevation. The difference with pitching, according to Feltner, was that the change in altitude affected the control of his fastball.

“The biggest difference was with my fastball,” he said. “It just carries up and away a lot and I wasn’t able to make the adjustment. Especially with that lineup seeing me a few times in a row.”

As tough as the night was, Feltner saved himself with some athleticism and reflexes in the third inning.

Casey Schmitt, who homered in the first inning, hit a line drive that had the Rockies pitcher diving for safety just as second baseman Willi Castro made the catch.

Feltner became the latest pitcher to get victimized by Schmitt, whom Schaeffer said has been the best player in the Giants’ lineup all season.

“Pretty difficult,” Feltner said of the matchup. “He’s a good hitter and it’s a good lineup. He’s put some good swings on me recently.”