NewsBats go cold in 'painful' loss at Wrigley
Atkins accounts for lone hit in seventh; Hurdle ejected
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
04/13/09 8:39 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Hitting was not just tough for the Rockies on a wet and freezing Monday afternoon in the 2009 Wrigley Field opener."You're just trying to get on base, and hopefully your hands don't hurt," third baseman Garrett Atkins said.
It was nothing but pain for the Rockies. Atkins' single off hearty Cubs starter Ted Lilly with two out in the seventh was their only hit in a 4-0 loss, their third straight, in front of 40,077 in a game that started 1 hour, 12 minutes late because of the weather.
Lilly (2-0), who walked Seth Smith after the Atkins single and left after 6 2/3 with one hit and two walks, was on fire when nearly everyone else was frozen solid. In theory, it was a great day to pitch -- 36 degrees with a 31 wind chill at first pitch, and a 10-mph wind blowing the rain into batters' faces.
Don't tell that to Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (1-1).
He couldn't capture the feel for his split-finger pitch or his regular fastball. He said he had some feel for his slider. But actually feeling his fingers? That was another matter.
"I was trying to blow on my hands and everything, and it didn't work," Jimenez said. "It was freezing."
As a result, Jimenez's 3 2/3 innings were really long -- 104 pitches. He gave up three earned runs on four hits, walked six and struck out five. Jimenez walked three in the second inning, including Koyie Hill with the bases loaded. In the fourth, Jimenez walked two and gave up a hit before Glendon Rusch replaced him.
They don't have days like that in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic, where Jimenez grew up. Monday wasn't much warmer than the NHL's Winter Classic at Wrigley -- an outdoor game between the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks -- on New Year's Day. Then it was 32 with a 19 wind chill.
"Ubaldo gave it everything he had," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "His hands were ice cold. My mother used to tell me, 'Cold hands, warm heart.' I don't know how that played out today."
They don't play baseball in those conditions in Torrance, Calif., where Lilly grew up, either. But he thrived, as did relievers Angel Guzman, who forced a Troy Tulowitzki line drive to end the seventh with two on, Aaron Heilman and Kevin Gregg.
"I enjoy this weather," Lilly said. "I understand the weather isn't going to be perfect all the time. It makes it a little more fun when you have conditions like this, and it makes it a little more challenging."
The Rockies have been no-hit twice in their 17-season history. Both occurred in 1996 -- by the Marlins' Al Leiter on May 11, 11-0, and by the Dodgers' Hideo Nomo, 11-0, at Coors Field on Sept. 17. Monday was the 11th time they've been held to one hit. A Rockies pitcher has never given up fewer than two hits in a game.
Hurdle didn't see all of Lilly's mastery.
With one out in the fourth, first-base umpire and crew chief Tim McClelland called a balk on Jimenez to move Ryan Theriot from first to second. Hurdle didn't agree, and pitching coach Bob Apodaca checked the video and didn't see a balk. Hurdle addressed McClelland before the fifth inning.
"The conversation started innocently," Hurdle said. "Timmy looked in the dugout, and I kind of pointed at my eyes and said, 'Take a look at it after the game.' From then on, it just went sideways."
And Hurdle went to the clubhouse after earning his 22nd ejection since taking over as Rockies manager on April 26, 2002.
Also, about the most movement the Rockies had on offense was the body language they showed in reaction to some of plate umpire Andy Fletcher's ball-strike calls. Hurdle noted that guys who usually don't argue were protesting.
Hitters, however, credited Lilly.
"He was just hitting the spot, the [catcher's] mitt, wherever that was," Rockies left fielder Ryan Spilborghs said.
"I think the only person on the field who was warm was the pitcher," said Jeff Baker, who had two doubles and a homer in seven previous at-bats against Lilly.
Before the seventh, the only baserunner against Lilly was Chris Iannetta, who drew a second-inning walk. The Rockies were aware of the zero in the hit column, but even more aware of the wet and Windy City.
Brad Hawpe, who went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, didn't make it through. Hawpe's left hamstring, which was strained during Spring Training, tightened, and the Rockies removed him to prevent an injury.
"It was a tough day to hit," Atkins said. "After I broke my bat my first at-bat, I didn't feel my right hand the rest of that at-bat."
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Carrie Muskat contributed to this report. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
