Gordon flashes 'outstanding' ability to attack zone in debut

DENVER -- If there’s one thing the Rockies need from their starters it’s a strike-thrower. They found one in Tanner Gordon, who made his Major League debut for the Rockies on Sunday and established a new high-water mark among Colorado starters -- throwing 79.5% of his 78 pitches for strikes.

“The ball-strike ratio was outstanding,” manager Bud Black said. “That's what you look for, right? That tells me he was attacking the zone, wasn't picking at the corners, wasn't nibbling, was aggressive with his stuff. That's a ton of strikes. At one point, I think there were 51 strikes and 10 balls -- in the sixth inning. It was really, really good.”

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Gordon’s ability to attack the zone was a bright spot in the Rockies’ 10-1 loss to the Royals at Coors Field. Gordon’s line was deceptive. He lasted 6 1/3 innings and gave up five runs on eight hits and no walks while striking out four -- including the first two batters he faced, Adam Frazier and Bobby Witt Jr. He was the first pitcher in Rockies history to strike out the first two batters in their Major League debut.

After a 1-2-3 first inning, Gordon gave up three straight singles to open the second. A three-run homer off the bat of Maikel Garcia put the Royals ahead for good, but after the homer Gordon retired 12 of the next 13 batters he faced.

“[I went] back to my roots,” Gordon said. “Trying to throw as many strikes as I could, try to attack the zone, keep the pressure on the hitters and make them swing at my pitches and adjust to my game.”

His game was a lot of what the Rockies needed, and he made a good first impression, showing his true make-up as a pitcher.

“I'd say that's pretty typical,” Gordon said. “Maybe not 80%, but my strike percentage has always been pretty high. I learned command first, before velocity, and I think that helped me as I grew.”

He tried to soak it all in, but Gordon said once he threw his first pitch, he settled into the routine he’s taken to the mound his whole life. A few highlights stood out from before and after he locked himself in.

“Taking the mound, walking off the mound after the outing and looking around, and then seeing my family and friends on the field after the game,” Gordon said. “I had to hold back some tears, but it was fun.”

He ended up with over 30 friends and family in the stands, though it sounded like more, their cheering section easily heard among the 32,180 fans in attendance.

“I tried to listen to them, but I kind of tuned everything out,” Gordon said.

The Rockies’ rotation is in flux, with Peter Lambert returning from Triple-A , Dakota Hudson being designated for assignment and Germán Márquez potentially returning from Tommy John surgery in time to pitch in the upcoming series in New York. But Black has already inked Gordon in for another start on the road.

“He'll start in New York,” Black confirmed. “Hopefully he can do a lot of the same things, with the exception of the three-run homer and five runs, but it's pretty good.”

Gordon said the only adjustment he needed to make for his big league debut at Coors Field was to get his heart rate down, and he anticipated not making much of an adjustment for his next start, concurring with Black that more of the same should be a good recipe for success.

“Honestly, I like where I left off, “Gordon said. “Same game plan -- throw strikes, and that's really all I can do.”

The Rockies’ lone run came in the seventh, when Jake Cave and Michael Toglia singled before Nolan Jones came through to put Colorado on the board.

The Rockies had chances, threatening in the third and fourth innings, with Aaron Schunk notching his first Major League hit, but they couldn't come up with the big hit.

“We had a couple opportunities first and third, but couldn't capitalize,” Black said. “Those, offensively, were the keys of the game for us. If we get a little something there, it changes the whole direction of the game, but we didn't.”