Doyle showcases young Rox with great throw, catch

BOSTON -- Rockies rookie center fielder Brenton Doyle lights up at any chance to show off his throwing arm.

“It’s exciting, kind of like I’m daring them to run,” Doyle said.

In the fifth inning of the Rockies’ 7-6, 10-inning victory on Tuesday night at Fenway Park, the Red Sox’s Alex Verdugo paid for his dare when Doyle nailed him at the plate with a throw that Statcast clocked at 99.2 mph.

Doyle's throw to beat Verdugo was the second-fastest MLB outfield assist this season, according to Statcast. The Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. had a 100 mph assist. Doyle has three of the five fastest outfield assists -- 99.2 mph on Tuesday, 98.6 mph against the Reds on May 17 and 98.1 mph against the Pirates on May 10.

The throw was one of two defensive plays that highlighted why Doyle has remained in the lineup despite a recent slump. Doyle found some offensive joy with an RBI double on a 1-for-5 night, but as long as he provides defensive impact he’ll keep receiving chances to find his swing.

“I never have a lack of confidence, like coming in and seeing if I’m in the lineup or not,” said Doyle, 25, whose takeover of center field since his April 24 callup from Triple-A Albuquerque is part of a growing turnover of key jobs to young players. “I’ve had multiple guys come up here and tell me, like, ‘Hey, like it's part of the process. We expect you to struggle, and that’s what makes you better. You’ve got to struggle and learn from it.’”

It’s easiest to learn from nights that veterans make victorious. Against Boston, Randal Grichuk did so by doubling home two runs and scoring in the 10th. Pierce Johnson -- recently removed from the closer role but called back into a high-leverage spot on Tuesday -- entered with the tying run aboard in the 10th and finished the inning to earn his 12th save.

The Rockies have had more rough periods than smooth ones while going 29-40, last in the National League West. But as more youth has joined the team, there is a palpable energy, with veterans like Grichuk -- who is batting .316 on the year after coming back from bilateral sports hernia surgery -- welcoming them to The Show.

“It’s easy for guys to be tough on young guys, not be welcoming and [not] allowing them to play the game with energy, and have them walk on eggshells,” Grichuk said. “I’m seeing guys allow them to be part of the team, have a voice. They thrive in that situation.”

With freedom of mind and power of arm, Doyle made one of the game’s biggest plays in the fifth.

The Rockies held a 4-2 lead when Justin Turner singled to center with the bases loaded. One run scored, but Doyle’s laser prevented Verdugo from tying the score before Jake Bird retired Rafael Devers to end the inning.

“It’s very rewarding, throwing a guy out, especially in a game like that,” Doyle said. “I knew the runner was going to be aggressive going around third base.”

The meshing of youth and experience came in handy. Doyle’s throw took nine-year veteran catcher Elias Díaz, who had a three-run double and a triple in the game, to his left, but he had the footwork and reach to tag Verdugo.

“I gave him a good little fist bump to the chest, hard, and said, ‘Great tag … really good play,’” Doyle said.

Doyle followed in the sixth with a running catch near the 379-foot mark in center to turn Christian Arroyo’s drive into a sacrifice fly rather than an extra-base hit. The play tied the game, but the Red Sox -- with Doyle having taken away a run in the fifth and a baserunner in the sixth -- never led.

“There were a lot of guys that helped us win, and Brenton did his job in a couple of different spots,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “He’s got a good arm. Him and Nolan Jones both have, for me, on a scouting scale, well-above-average arms. That’s a deterrent, in time, for third-base coaches. Part of what helps a team win is the skill set of players.”

Doyle’s earlier work, such as his two-homer game against the Reds on May 15, suggests that offense is among his skills. But even with Tuesday’s double, he’s 7-for-41 (.171) in his last 12 games.

“I’m trying to swing at better pitches and have a little bit more of an approach,” Doyle said. “It’s been a struggle, but you struggle in this game to better yourself.

“And defense wins games in almost every sport there is. I always have that in the back of my mind, and don’t take any plays off defensively.”