SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.
Troy Tulowitzki homered twice, and Carlos Gonzalez added his first spring home run for the Colorado Rockies in a 10-4 victory over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday.
Both sluggers have impressed in their return from season-ending injuries. Tulowitzki’s two-run homer in the first traveled 436 feet, and his solo shot in the third 441 feet. He went 3-for-5 and is hitting .385 with five home runs.
Gonzalez hit a solo homer to center in the third and later had an RBI-double. All three homers came off Rangers starter Colby Lewis.
“It’s fun to watch those guys hit, I know that,” Rockies’ right-hander Kyle Kendrick said.
Kendrick, who will start Colorado’s opener in Milwaukee, allowed four runs and five hits in five innings. He threw 90 pitches.
“Results-wise, I hit a guy 1-2 and gave up some hits, but we swung it well,” Kendrick said. “I’m ready for opening day.”
Rockies’ manager Walt Weiss answered one of many rotation questions, announcing right-hander Jordan Lyles will start the second regular-season game Tuesday in Milwaukee.
Weiss strongly hinted Eddie Butler would start the final game of the series April 8 – if he’s recovered from shoulder pain that caused him to leave his last start in the first inning.
“And that’s a really big if,” Weiss said.
Rockies’ top prospect Jon Gray will pitch in a minor league game Thursday, his first start since he couldn’t get out of the first inning last week against the Chicago Cubs.
The right-hander reported a sore groin the next day but said he’s recovered and was happy with Tuesday’s bullpen session.
“My biggest problem is slowing the game down when it speeds up,” the 23-year-old Gray said. “I’ve done well at that, but I also had a very poor outing for the same reason.”
Gray is uncertain whether he’ll start the season in the rotation or the minors. He was pitching well prior to allowing six runs while getting two outs against the Cubs.
“They think I’m getting better and can get big league guys out,” Gray said. “But they want to see me improve in other areas as well. There’s no telling what kind of decisions they’re going to make.”
Rockies rumpus
The Rockies sent veteran reliever Rex Brothers and outfielder Brandon Barnes to the minors. The moves Wednesday mean 39-year-old reliever Rafael Betancourt made the opening-day roster in his comeback from elbow reconstruction surgery. Infielder Rafael Ynoa and left-hander Christian Friedrich also made the club. The Rockies also sent outfielder Matt McBride and right-hander Scott Oberg to minor league camp. The 27-year-old Brothers had a 1.74 ERA and 19 saves for Colorado in 2013. But the 2009 first-round pick followed a poor end to last season with an inconsistent spring. Barnes hit .257 in 132 games with the Rockies last year. Manager Walt Weiss said they wanted to carry an extra infielder. Betancourt was Colorado’s closer until he was injured in 2013.
