DENVER (AP) - Troy Tulowitzki set up his big day at the plate in his first appearance.
The 14-pitch at-bat was the longest of his career and produced a slew of foul balls, as well as a glimpse of every pitch in Jonathan Pettibone’s repertoire.
Tulowitzki went 3 for 3 with a homer and five RBIs after working the first inning walk, Tyler Chatwood pitched seven strong innings for his first win of the season, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 12-1 Friday night.
“I was just battling, just trying to stay alive,” said Tulowitzki, who fouled off 10 of the 14 pitches he saw in his initial at-bat, eight after the count was full.
“That was the longest at-bat of my career. I ended up drawing a walk out of it, but I think more than anything, that at-bat set up my day. I saw so many pitches from him, I think that helped my second and third at-bat, more so than just that one.”
Pettibone, who was optioned to Triple A Lehigh Valley after the game, said he was doing everything he could to get Tulowitzki out before issuing the walk that opened the door to a four-run inning.
“I kind of threw everything I could at that point,” Pettibone said. “At the same time, I didn’t want to give in. That was a big situation. First and second, one out, so I didn’t want to for one walk him or two, give him something to drive. I just kept battling and battling. Tip my hat to him. He’s a heck of a hitter. He did his job today.”
Drew Stubbs and Charlie Blackmon added three hits apiece and the 1-2 hitters in the Rockies’ batting order combined to score five of Colorado’s runs. The 18 hits represented a season high for the Rockies and their run total matched a season high.
Chatwood (1-0), who missed the first two weeks of the season with a left hamstring strain, allowed one unearned run on two hits in his second start of the season and first at home. Chatwood struck out six and walked one, pitching aggressively with the benefit of a big early lead.
“It’s nice to just go out there and try to pound the zone, get us back in the dugout,” Chatwood said.
Pettibone (0-1) went four innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits.
He was in trouble from the outset, giving up four runs in a 36-pitch first inning. Blackmon and Stubbs each singled to start the inning. Carlos Gonzalez was robbed when second baseman Chase Utley leaped high in the air to catch his sharply hit line drive, but Tulowitzki worked the walk to load the bases.
Justin Morneau followed with a two-run double. Wilin Rosario had a run-scoring groundout and Nolan Arenado singled up the middle to drive in the Rockies’ fourth run.
It didn’t get any better for Pettibone in the second as Blackmon singled and was sacrificed to second. The Phillies opted to intentionally walk Gonzalez, a lifetime .395 hitter in 23 previous games against Philadelphia, and go after Tulowitzki. He responded by driving an 0-1 offering into the stand of evergreens beyond the center field wall for his second home run of the season, upping Colorado’s lead to 7-0.
“I hit the ball about as well as I can hit a ball. I felt good,” Tulowitzki said.
And it showed.
The Rockies went up 8-0 on Tulowitzki’s run-scoring double in the fourth, before the Phillies got on the scoreboard in the fifth. After Carlos Ruiz reached on third baseman Arenado’s two-out fielding error, Cody Asche singled to center for the Phillies’ first hit of the game and pinch hitter Jayson Nix, batting for Pettibone, singled to score Ruiz.
Colorado got that run back on Tulowitzki’s RBI single in the sixth.
NOTES: Phillies LHP Cole Hamels (left biceps tendinitis) allowed one run in seven innings Thursday in his third rehab start for high Class A Clearwater. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg said before the game he’s leaning toward having Hamels start Wednesday at Los Angeles with one additional day of rest to keep RHP A.J. Burnett slotted between LHP Cliff Lee and Hamels in the rotation. … Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer was given the night off to rest a sore left hamstring. He is day to day. … Phillies RHP Kyle Kendrick (0-1) is set to start Game 2 of the series Saturday against the Rockies’ RHP Jordan Lyles (2-0). … Blackmon, who had an RBI single among his three hits, upped his batting average to .426 in 18 games this season.
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