Rox claim series as Quantrill extends rotation's quality month

DENVER -- Being sent to the Rockies can carry any meaning a pitcher desires. For Cal Quantrill, it means throwing out records and some of the modern stat-speak for old-fashioned pitching principles.

The strategy has produced stunning quality and consistency for Quantrill and the rotation this month. It worked for Quantrill during his six innings in Sunday afternoon’s 5-2, series-clinching victory over the Phillies in front of the second sellout crowd of the season at Coors Field, 47,442.

“0-2, 1-2 … first-pitch strikes … being efficient, not chasing strikeouts,” Quantrill said, running down a checklist that sufficed when his father, Paul Quantrill, pitched for 14 seasons with seven teams. “I’m going to get three outs.

“There’s something to that: That’s winning baseball. That’s a good team over there. We took two of three from them. We can play good baseball if we play the right way.”

Many numbers coming in were not on the side of the Rockies. The Phillies (38-16) have the Majors’ best record, and Sunday starter Ranger Suárez arrived unbeaten with a 1.36 ERA.

But thanks to the rotation, the Rockies -- who got a two-run homer from Ryan McMahon in the first inning and took advantage of four Suárez walks in a three-run second -- have quietly become competitive. They’ve won three of their last five series, and the starting rotation is a key reason why. Quantrill added to that on Sunday by limiting the Phillies to two runs on three hits, with five strikeouts against just two walks.

The Rockies’ 11-12 record this month would be better if not for a shaky bullpen. In May, Rockies starters have:

• A 3.77 ERA with 13 quality starts in 23 games
• A 3.04 ERA with 11 quality starts in the last 16 games
• Six straight quality starts with a 2.34 ERA
• Six quality starts and a 2.09 ERA in the last seven home games

All this is from a rotation that lost Opening Day starter Kyle Freeland in April with a left elbow strain (he is rehabbing, and a week or so away from facing hitters) and hasn’t had righties Germán Márquez or Antonio Senzatela at all this season -- they are on the comeback trail from Tommy John surgeries.

The standings show the Rockies deep in the National League West basement. But beneath all that, the Rockies believe the rotation’s performance is evidence that the construction project could lead to a turnaround -- next season, especially. Freeland is ramping up for a return possibly in mid June, Márquez could be back at midseason and Senzatela harbors hope of coming back by season’s end.

But why wait?

Beyond Quantrill and Austin Gomber, righty Ryan Feltner is showing signs of using his power mix better, and lefty Ty Blach has been strong in three of his four starts since joining the rotation. A telling assessment came from righty Dakota Hudson, who had been the exception this month until he held the Phils to two runs in six innings of Saturday’s bullpen-implosion loss.

“It helps with the personalities we have, with Cal and Gomber,” Hudson said. “They’re always talking, and it’s always a buildup kind of mentality. It’s always leading us into a more positive next game.”

Manager Bud Black, who is repeating the phrase “under construction” when discussing the 2024 squad, believes a winning dynamic is developing among starters.

“Players watch each other, and pitchers watch each other closely,” said Black, a former Major League pitcher. “The nature of my career, watching every single game on the days I didn’t start, if you love baseball, if you love watching, you pick things up.

“Both those guys, Gomber and Quantrill, watch games the right way -- Gomber watches guys’ bullpens. It’s awesome those guys are together, talking. It starts with having personalities and interpersonal skills, and it happened naturally.”

On Sunday, Quantrill carried a “build-up” mentality that he developed immediately, when altitude forced him to make adjustments home-to-road.

Quantrill wasn’t happy with his command, especially two leadoff walks. But he used five pitches, with the sinker and splitter as his main weapons. His curveball, normally not notable, attracted five swings and misses.

And he used Coors Field as his friend.

“I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s a benefit, but it’s choosing to see it as an opportunity,” Quantrill said. “I don’t know how many times Ranger has started here. I don’t know if he likes it. What I know is that I know how to pitch here, and I’m going to try to go out and beat him that way.”