Owings leaves with hamstring soreness
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DENVER -- The Rockies’ Chris Owings tripled in his first at-bat and doubled in his next two before leaving Wednesday night’s 8-0 win over the D-backs with right hamstring soreness. Sam Hilliard replaced him defensively in the top of the sixth with the Rockies leading, 5-0.
Manager Bud Black, having seen Owings' promising 2020 season end because of a left hamstring injury -- as well as noticing an early spate of muscle injuries around the league already this season -- took no chances.
“We've seen that a little bit you know, over the last three or four days with players on both teams with some leg issues,” Black said. “He tightened up a little bit. We don't think it's a strain. We think it’s just a little tightness, and maybe a little cramp. I will know better tomorrow.
“Hopefully, it will resolve itself overnight with some treatment. But he had a wonderful night, all right. Triple, two doubles, big night for C.O. -- great sliding catch on a line drive [in the fifth], big part of the game.”
Black said the injury didn't spring up because of a single play, but was rather suspected to have developed over the course of the game.
Owings started as part of a heavily right-handed lineup against D-backs lefty starter Madison Bumgarner. It was the first game of the young 2021 season that four-time All-Star Charlie Blackmon did not start.
The strategy was a success much like it was on Opening Day, when Black went with Owings against a decorated lefty -- that time the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw. In the opener, Owings tripled in his first at-bat before finishing the game 3-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base.
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On Wednesday, Owings’ triple to center drove in Garrett Hampson, who led off the game with a single off Bumgarner’s right leg. Owings doubled and scored during a two-run third, and doubled in Hampson again in the fourth.
“I didn't really know, you know, what happened, or when he felt it, but I hope it was just a little tightness, where he felt it was smart to take precaution,” said Hampson, who went 2-for-3 with two walks and a career-high three steals while hitting leadoff ahead of Owings.