DENVER -- While the Giants were reeling after the loss of ace Madison Bumgarner to bruised ribs and a shoulder AC sprain following an off-day dirt bike accident in Denver, the Rockies reveled in their strong start despite the number of their own key players on the disabled list.
The Rockies started the season with starting pitcher Chad Bettis (testicular cancer), first baseman Ian Desmond (left hand fracture), outfielder David Dahl (rib stress reaction), bullpen stalwart Chad Qualls (right forearm tightness), potential starting pitcher Chris Rusin (right oblique strain), backup catcher Tom Murphy (right forearm fracture) and reliever Jairo Diaz (Tommy John surgery) all on the DL. A week ago, Opening Day starter Jon Gray (left foot stress fracture) joined the ranks of the wounded.
"We've been hit pretty hard," manager Bud Black said before Friday's series opener with the Giants. "If you look at the talent that we have on the disabled list, that's real talent."
The Rockies took the challenge in stride, leading their division by a half-game entering play Friday. A veteran bullpen has paced the team to a remarkable 6-0 record in one-run games after going 12-20 last season.
"This group does a nice job of going pitch to pitch, inning to inning, and just recording outs," Black said. "Most relievers pitch with adrenaline. We still want focus, but they're in such short spurts, and in most cases, the type of games that we've been playing so far in 16 games have been tight."
A pair of off-days this week have kept Colorado from having to formally replace Gray in the rotation, but they'll need a starter by Tuesday, when a young rotation could get even younger.
Road to recovery
• Carlos Gonzalez dodged a bullet when he took a pitch to the right hand Wednesday, bruising but not breaking his pinkie and using Thursday's off-day to recover in time to hit cleanup Friday.
"We felt pretty good about it once the X-rays were negative in Los Angeles," Black said. "I caught up with him earlier this afternoon, and he felt he was ready to go."
• Qualls has pitched in four rehab games for Triple-A Albuquerque, allowing no runs in 3 1/3 innings, and he threw a bullpen session Wednesday in Los Angeles with the Rockies.
"He'll be going out in a couple days," Black said of a subsequent rehab assignment. "He'll continue to work on stamina, making pitches, feeling comfortable with all his pitches. He's done a nice job so far."
• Desmond hit off a tee Friday and is eager to ramp up his activity.
"I'm running, throwing, taking grounders, catching," Desmond said. "Trying to be a good patient. I feel optimistic. It's weird how one little bone in your body kind of shuts you down."
Black indicated Desmond was ready to make some quick advances in the intensity of his bat work.
"He'll progress to soft toss, and from there we'll throw him batting practice on the field," Black said. "It should be all in the next few days."