Blalock solid in unexpected return to Majors

SAN FRANCISCO -- Other than the two walks he issued leading off the pivotal sixth inning against the Giants on Saturday, Rockies pitcher Bradley Blalock did just about everything that manager Bud Black had hoped for.

Called up to fill in for injured starter Ryan Feltner after the right-hander was placed on the injured list, Blalock pitched five solid and effective innings against the Giants, putting him in position to get the win had the Rockies' offense against San Francisco starter Jordan Hicks and four relievers been enough.

“He threw the ball well,” Black said of Blalock following the Rockies’ 6-3 loss. “All of his pitches were good. Fastball played today, the curveball was effective, the cutter and slider were good. Four pitches well-thrown today by Bradley.”

For the first five innings, Blalock looked like an experienced veteran on the mound.

He retired the first seven hitters he faced with ease, then made one of his few mistakes during the afternoon when he left a 1-0 hanging slider over the plate that Giants designated hitter Luis Matos crushed for a 392-foot home run.

The 24-year-old Blalock composed himself and set down seven of the next eight batters. When he walked two of the first three Giants hitters in the sixth, Black turned to the bullpen. For one of the few times this season, the Rockies bullpen unraveled.

“I left the slider up to Matos,” Blalock said. “Otherwise I thought it was pretty good.”

That it was.

Blalock struck out four and allowed the Matos homer and a fourth-inning single to Willy Adames. The Giants' only other runners against Blalock came on the two walks in the sixth.

“He did everything he could,” Black said. “He threw the ball well. He had to. Their guy was good, too. Bradley did his job.”

Blalock’s second start this season capped an odd week for the right-hander.

After opening the season in Colorado’s bullpen, Blalock got roughed up in a start against the Cincinnati Reds on April 27 and was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque afterward. He was preparing himself to start in the Minors on Friday when the big league club called him back up to face the Giants.

“I didn’t think [getting back to the Majors] was going to come this fast,” Blalock said. “I went down to Albuquerque, worked on a few things there in a mid-week bullpen and I felt good coming in.”

During his brief stint with Albuquerque, Blalock worked on fundamentals and his form. Part of that was focusing on strengthening his back leg in order to get better command of his pitches.

That’s an encouraging sign for the Rockies, whose starting pitching had mixed success over the first 32 games. Prior to Saturday, Blalock had only logged seven innings in the Major Leagues this season.

Although it’s still relatively early in the season, the Rockies have had to lean very heavily on their bullpen due to the struggles of the starting five.

Having a fresh arm like Blalock’s could ease some of that overuse.

With Feltner out for at least two turns, Blalock is almost certain to get at least one more start with the big league club.

If not, he knows what the mandate will be when he goes back to the Minors. It’s the same message that club officials told him when he was optioned back to Albuquerque.

“Just go down there and be ready for anything,” Blalock said.