July 24th 2024.
A purple haze enveloped LoDo on Tuesday night, but it wasn't from the smoky skies caused by the Canadian wildfires. No, this haze was all thanks to Boston Red Sox pitcher Cooper Criswell, whose dominance on the mound left the Colorado Rockies struggling to find their footing.
Making his first appearance at Coors Field, Criswell held the Rockies to just five hits and one walk over seven innings, striking out four batters along the way. His stellar performance led the Red Sox to a 6-0 victory, leaving the Rockies shut out for the 11th time this season.
Despite putting the leadoff man on base five times, the Rockies were unable to produce any runs against Criswell. They were 0 for 5 with runners in scoring position while he was on the mound and 0 for 8 overall. Manager Bud Black praised Criswell's sinker and arm-side run, as well as his effective breaking ball and three-pitch repertoire.
Veteran Kris Bryant, who had just returned from the injured list after missing 43 games, had a tough time against Criswell, striking out twice and walking once. He also ground out to end the game against Greg Weissert, bringing his season batting average to .180. However, Bryant did make an impressive running catch in the first inning, proving that he still has what it takes to make big plays on the field.
The Rockies entered the game with a strong home run record, hitting 32 in July alone. But Criswell's dominant pitching kept them from finding their rhythm, resulting in three double plays and a frustrating loss.
On the other side of the mound, Rockies lefty Ty Blach struggled against the Red Sox's Tyler O'Neill, who blasted two mammoth home runs. Blach acknowledged that he wasn't feeling as crisp as he would have liked, leading to a tough start and an eventual exit after just 2 1/3 innings.
Despite Blach's rough outing, there were some bright spots in the Rockies' bullpen. Anthony Molina, who replaced Blach, managed to dig himself out of a bases-loaded situation in the fourth inning and ended up pitching 3 1/3 innings with only one hit allowed. Noah Davis also shut out the Red Sox for 3 1/3 innings, showing off his impressive fastball and changeup combination.
The three-game series is now tied 1-1, with the deciding game set for Wednesday afternoon. The Rockies will send right-hander Cal Quantrill to the mound, while the Red Sox will start Nick Pivetta. Both pitchers will be looking for a win, as Quantrill has yet to secure a victory since June 11 and Pivetta has struggled against the Rockies in the past.
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