Holland, Rockies try to improve in series with Tigers (Aug 29, 2017)
DENVER -- Greg Holland took the mound in the ninth inning Monday night, but it wasn't a save situation for the struggling Colorado closer.
The Rockies were losing 4-3 to the Detroit Tigers and would fall by that score. The club play the middle game of a three-game set Tuesday at Coors Field.
Before the series opener, Rockies manager Bud Black said that Holland is still the closer and would pitch if a save situation arose. There was no save situation, simply a chance to get work with considerably less pressure, and Holland retired the side in order on 13 pitches.
Prior to Monday, Holland was scored upon in five of his previous eight appearances, going 0-4 with two saves, three blown saves and a 19.89 ERA in that span. He allowed 13 hits, including four home runs, and 14 runs in 6 1/3 innings with six walks and four strikeouts.
Black said Holland didn't pitch Sunday at Atlanta in a save situation because he would have been used four out of five days.
"Greg's our closer," Black said. "He's working on a couple things within his pitching style that we think can benefit him moving forward. Greg will be a big part of us getting to where we want to be moving forward."
Specifically, Black said Holland was working to rectify the spin on his slider, his best pitch.
"It's (an) incorrect spin," Black said. "I think Greg's best sliders are pretty consistent, like straight down vertical break. It almost looks like a split. And I think now we've seen a little bit more side to side, more of a horizontal break occurring.
"He's got to impart more overspin on the ball as opposed to side spin. It's how the ball comes out of your hand. He's just got to get his fingers on top of the ball and get over the top of it as opposed to on the side."
Black said what was "alarming" was the frequency of hits a veteran such as Holland yielded with the count 0-2.
Nonetheless, the Rockies likely will turn to Holland on Tuesday should a save situation develop in the ninth against the Tigers.
German Marquez (10-5, 4.18 ERA) will start for Colorado against Detroit's Michael Fulmer (10-11, 3.69). Both starters will be facing their opponent for the first time.
The Rockies are 14-8 in games started by Marquez. He did not factor the in the decision Thursday at Kansas City, where he gave up two runs in six innings on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts. The Rockies were losing 2-1 when he left the game but won 3-2.
Marquez is 6-2 with a 4.50 ERA in 10 home starts this season. The Rockies have won the past eight games Marquez has started at Coors Field, and in that span, which dates from May 10, he is 6-0 with a 3.12 ERA.
The Tigers are 12-12 in games started by Fulmer, who was not involved in the decision Thursday in the brawl-filled game against the New York Yankees. He gave up five hits and five runs (four earned) in six innings and left with a 6-3 lead in what became a 10-6 Detroit victory.
After winning four consecutive starts from June 29-July 15, Fulmer has lost five straight decisions and is 0-5 with a 5.97 ERA in his past six outings. However, during that span, he gave up three runs in eight innings in one game and one unearned run in seven innings in another.
"When he throws strikes, he's good," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. "He's usually pretty good about throwing strikes. He gets quick contact, so his pitch count is usually low.
"When he gets quick contact, a lot of times it's not hard. The numbers are a little misleading. You certainly feel good about him when he takes the mound, feel good about our chances."
