Harrison, Choo star as Rangers blank Rox
DENVER -- Rangers pitcher Matt Harrison earned his first win since May 8, 2014, with six scoreless innings in a 9-0 victory over the Rockies on Tuesday night at Coors Field. Harrison's win came on a night when Shin-Soo Choo hit for the cycle for the first time in his career.
Choo tripled in the ninth to complete the eighth cycle in Rangers history and the 13th cycle in the history of Coors Field. Choo had an RBI double in the second, a solo homer in the fourth and an RBI single in the fifth before his ninth-inning three-bagger.
"All in all, what a great night for everybody," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "It was a fun night."
Video: TEX@COL: Choo completes the cycle with a triple
Harrison, in his second start after missing 14 months because of back surgery, allowed seven hits, walked one and struck out two. His last victory was over the Rockies, and he has not allowed an earned run in 19 innings over three career starts against Colorado.
Video: TEX@COL: Harrison tosses six scoreless innings
Rockies starter Kyle Kendrick took the loss by allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits -- tied for the most this season -- in 4 1/3 innings. Kendrick's 6.12 ERA is second-highest among qualifying Major League starters. The Rockies, shut out at home for the first time this season, saw their home win streak end at five games.
"He had some real efficient innings, but the innings that he struggled, they put up some crooked numbers and they got some good swings off," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said of Kendrick.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Harrison at the bat: The Rangers weren't eager to see Harrison swinging the bat, but he was effective in two of his three plate appearances. He dropped a sacrifice bunt in the Rangers' three-run second inning. In the fifth, Harrison batted with Elvis Andrus at third, Choo at first and two outs. Choo stole second and, with the count 1-1 against reliever Yohan Flande, Harrison hit a roller in front of the plate. Flande bobbled the ball and then threw off-target to first. Harrison was safe and Andrus scored to give the Rangers a 6-0 lead.
Video: TEX@COL: Andrus scores on a throwing error
'Tulo' frustration: How did Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki's at-bats go? The reaction at the end of each of his first three tell you: He tossed his bat after a popout in the first with a runner at second. He nearly slammed the bat but decided against doing so after a strikeout in the third. A lineout to right to end the fifth with two on elicited a slam of the batting helmet. Tulowitzki was quieter after grounding into an eighth-inning double play and seeing his streak of reaching base end at 41 games -- tied for second-longest in club history.
Tulowitzki -- the subject of trade rumors as the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaches -- said the streak has helped him focus through the Rockies' struggles.
"It's not right to say, because you shouldn't lose focus," Tulowitzki said. "I heard [Alex Rodriguez] once say what was his goal for the season, and it's to be into every single pitch. For me, [the streak] was giving me the ability to be into every single pitch.
"People say, 'Well, why don't you do that?' Well it's hard to do that. The streak gave me something to shoot for. This will make me a better player. Hopefully, I can be into every single pitch and pretend like something is on the line."
'Tulo' elation: Even if a game doesn't go right, there's always a chance Tulowitzki will make a dazzling play. This time, he ranged to the middle and did a midair pirouette while throwing to first to retire Adrian Beltre.
Video: Must C Creative: Tulowitzki fields, spins and fires
Fielder shines at first: Prince Fielder was making just his fifth start at first base in his last 76 games but made a superb play in the third inning. Charlie Blackmon hit a hard grounder down the first-base line and Fielder made a diving stop, flipping to Harrison for the out. Fielder also recorded his Majors-best 40th multi-hit game of the season, including hitting his 15th homer.
"My defense did a great job for me tonight," Harrison said.
Video: TEX@COL: Fielder makes a diving stop, tosses to first
DeShields misses cycle: While Choo was hitting for the cycle, Delino DeShields had a career-high four hits and was a homer away from matching his outfield teammate. DeShields had a triple, double and two singles when he came to bat in the ninth against Rafael Betancourt. But he struck out and the Rangers did not make Major League history.
Video: TEX@COL: DeShields tallies four hits vs. Rockies
QUOTABLE
"Our job, offensively, is to go out there and put up good at-bats, regardless what the score is, and for the most part, that's what we've done. But as a whole, playing from behind is a little bit more difficult, offensively, because you're limited with what you can do." -- Weiss when asked if the poor start by Kendrick affected the offense.
SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS
The Rockies signed Kendrick for one year at $5.5 million to give the rotation a veteran presence. But the team has won just five of Kendrick's 19 starts. In those wins, they have had to score five or more runs.
REPLAY REVIEW
The Rockies gained an out in the second after a replay challenge from Weiss. DeShields was originally ruled safe on a steal attempt, but catcher Nick Hundley's throw to Tulowitzki was ruled to have been in time after a brief review.
Video: TEX@COL: DeShields is out after Rockies challenge
WHAT'S NEXT
Rangers: Martin Perez pitches for the Rangers at 2:10 p.m. CT Wednesday against the Rockies at Coors Field. Perez is making his second start since returning from Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery. The Rangers are 10-16 in day games this season..
Rockies: Lefty Jorge De La Rosa gave up three runs on two first-inning homers in his last start, a loss to the Padres that could be blamed more on sloppy baserunning than anything he did on the mound. De La Rosa will start the series finale Wednesday at 1:10 p.m. MT.
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