Chris Sale was sharp for the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday afternoon. However, in his first career start at Coors Field, he was outdueled by a Colorado Rockies rookie starting pitcher in a game the Rockies desperately needed to win.
Sale, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner, struck out 10 over 7.0 innings and scattered just five hits in his first quality start of the season. However, Colorado posted a 2-1 win, snapping an eight-game losing streak and avoiding its fifth series sweep of a young season that has been historically bad.
Chase Dollander, regarded as Colorado’s top-ranked rookie by MLBPipeline.com, kept pace with Sale, allowing just two hits and one run in 5.2 innings. Atlanta was stymied all day by Rockies pitchers, who surrendered just three hits and three walks.
“Going up against Chris Sale, a Cy Young Award winner, and he basically outdueled him,” Rockies manager Bud Black said of his 23-year-old right-hander. “What a great feat for him today.”
While Sale was tagged with the loss and dropped to 1-3 on the season, Wednesday’s start was arguably his best of the season. The 10 strikeouts were a season-high, and his 7.0 innings marked his longest outing of the year.
Coming off two starts in which he combined to give up 11 hits and three runs in 9.1 innings, Sale registered 23 swings and misses against the Rockies, dropping his ERA below 5.00 (now at 4.84) for the first time all season.
“The slider was really, really good. He got a lot of swing and miss on that,” said Atlanta manager Brian Snitker. “He was good. I think it was by far his best outing. It was good to get him in. I’m glad he got to touch the seventh and then get through it. That could be big for getting him going.”
