In what seems to be an annual event during his big league career, Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Brett Anderson was injured in the fourth inning on Saturday with a bruised left index finger. Five Rockies pitched a total of six innings to close out the 1-0 victory over the home-standing San Francisco Giants.
The sole run in this game came on a Troy Tulowitzki sacrifice fly in the third inning. San Francisco mounted a rally in the bottom of the fourth before new acquisition Michael Morse grounded into the dreaded double play. Pablo Sandoval them came up with the based loaded and two outs in the bottom of the eighth. Hard throwing lefty Rex Brothers made the struggling third baseman look silly, eventually striking him out on five pitches.
Colorado’s bullpen was light’s out once Anderson went down with the injury. It pitched six scoreless innings, striking out six and giving up just two hits. LaTroy Hawkins closed it out with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth for the Rockies first shutout of the season. It was also the first time San Francisco has been shutout since September of last year at Yankee Stadium.
Brett Anderson left the game against the #SFGiants with an apparent left hand injury. Guy just can't catch a break. pic.twitter.com/mKPRhzkqtj
— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) April 12, 2014
The two teams combined for just seven hits in what ended up being a well-played game. Anderson’s injury isn’t expected to be serious enough for a stint on the disabled list. Colorado acquired the left-handed starter in an offseason deal with the Oakland Athletics where he made just 34 starts over the past three seasons. The veteran had given up three runs in six innings in each of his first two starts with the Rockies before shutting out San Francisco in three innings of work on Saturday.
Tim Hudson, who boasts a 2-0 record with a 1.15 ERA in two starts with the Giants this year, will take on Tyler Chatwood on Sunday afternoon in the rubber game of the series.
Photo: Cary Emondson, USA Today