Rockies 12, Athletics 5: Offensive explosion backs Dollander’s premiere

Doyle and Tovar’s bats go to work to ensure Chase Dollander’s first game ends in victory

Things couldn’t have gone much better for the Rockies on Sunday. An offensive explosion unmatched by any game this season, the successful debut of their number one prospect, and a bullpen that didn’t implode was all it took to get the dub and avoid the sweep against the A’s.

Early offense

Chase Dollander received a rude awakening to the big leagues in the form of an early Athletics attack. In the top of the first inning, a potential double was stolen on a sparkling diving snag by Mickey Moniak. The great play notwithstanding, the A’s did strike first when Brent Rooker singled and scored on Tyler Soderstrom’s subsequent home run, giving the visitors a quick two-run lead.

It wasn’t to last long, though, as the Rockies quickly answered with offense of their own. It began with a long, leadoff home run off the bat of Brenton Doyle, his first of the young season.

Ezequiel Tovar then singled, stole second, and scored when Bryant’s base hit – yes, really! – dropped into left field and tied the game at two runs apiece.

The Rockies kept the bats hot in the second inning. Tyler Freeman’s hit by pitch and Moniak’s walk set Doyle up for heroics once again, and he came through with a two-run double to give Colorado the advantage. He would quickly head home on Tovar’s double, already his third of the season.

The Rockies added another run in the bottom of the third in the form of a Freeman sacrifice fly. They set themselves up for success as the led 6-2 heading into the middle innings.

Dollander’s debut

There’s been nary a more hyped first appearance than that of number one prospect Chase Dollander, and he rose to the occasion on Sunday. He showed poise and exhibited strong command in each of his five innings of work, and didn’t allow for any big innings or continued A’s aggression.

Most of the damage came in the form of long balls, with Soderstrom’s two-run shot and Lawrence Butler’s leadoff bomb in the fifth frame accounting for three of Dollander’s four runs allowed. That’s to be expected, as the A’s boast a powerful lineup that loves to hit dingers, so holding them to two such shots must be considered a win.

In all, Dollander used his fastball (at times touching 99 miles per hour) and excellent secondary pitches (mixing in his cutter, changeup, curveball, and sinker) to great effect, turning in a solid first foray into MLB. His final line: five innings pitched, seven hits, four earned runs, and one walk against six strikeouts. That’ll play.

Bullpen breezes

Colorado’s relief corps has experienced more than their fare share of issues in the season’s early stages, but they locked in on Sunday. After Dollander departed the contest, Jake Bird entered and immediately set the tone, tossing two shutout innings and recording five straight strikeouts. Luis Peralta came in to throw in the eighth, but was hit by a Brent Rooker line drive and forced to leave the game (can you believe he still recorded the out?).

Viktor Vodnik then entered and took care of the next two outs to end the frame. After a five-run bottom of the eighth that put the game out of reach, Vodnik allowed a run in the ninth and let runners reach second and third. He then hunkered down, took a deep breath, and induced a Brent Rooker flyout to end the game and seal the victory.

The dynamic duo

Tovar and Doyle are no doubt the faces of Colorado’s lineup, and the victory over the A’s highlighted their excellence in a big way. While everyone showed up to contribute to the offensive explosion, the Rockies’ number one and two hitters were a cut above.

Doyle’s three hits – a single, double, and home run – resulted in four RBI, while Tovar’s career high-tying four hits (two doubles) tallied three. Their work alone resulted in half the team’s total hits, RBI, and runs scored – not a bad day at the ballpark!

Up Next

The Rockies are off on Monday but will be back to work on Tuesday as they kick off a series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew will likely start Freddy Peralta (0-1, 2.08 ERA) against Colorado’s own Kyle Freeland (0-1, 2.13 ERA).

That game starts at 6:40pm MDT. See you then!