Wolters preserves Rox win with lightning throw

DENVER -- The Rockies’ Tony Wolters showed that a catcher can be the most reliable arm.

The Rockies took a six-run lead into the eighth inning Saturday night against the Padres before five different pitchers gave up five runs while recording all of two outs. But Wolters ended the madness with a standout throw to catch Travis Jankowski on a steal attempt. It turned out to be the biggest play in the Rockies’ 11-10 win at Coors Field.

How strong was the throw? According to Statcast:

• Box score

• The “pop time,” from the moment Jesus Tinoco’s pitch hit Wolters’ mitt to the instant Wolters’ throw hit second baseman Pat Valaika’s glove for the tag, was 1.82 seconds. That’s tied for 15th fastest in the Majors this season, out of the many throws to second. The Major League average is 2.01.

• Wolters’ exchange time of .44 seconds, from glove to the release of the throw, also is considered lightning fast. Wolters depends more on accuracy than velocity, and the quick exchanges are a key reason he has thrown out 22 of 61 would-be base-stealers this season.

“All I care about is getting the guy out -- getting an out for our team and being able to run back in the dugout and get us to go hit, so we can go get a win,” Wolters said.

Wolters, whom many around the Rockies believe will be in the Rawlings Gold Glove conversation eventually, if not this year, also had a fine night offensively. He had two hits -- an RBI double in the second inning and an RBI single in the third -- and three runs scored.

But Wolters’ throw was the talk of Coors.

Lefty Phillip Diehl (two runs, two hits), righty Wes Parsons (one walk, one run in one-third of an inning), lefty Sam Howard (one walk, one run) and righty Bryan Shaw (one-third of an inning and two hits, including Manny Machado’s three-run homer) all tried to halt the Padres’ eighth-inning surge.

Tinoco came in after Jankowski’s infield single. Manager Bud Black visited the mound, figuring Wolters had a good chance to save the Rockies.

“I told Jesus and Tony, ‘Be ready for this guy to run,’” Black said. “Jesus did a good job of a little bit of a quick step and Tony, great exchange and a rocket, right on the money. It was awesome. Changed the momentum.”

Tinoco, who walked one in the ninth but forced a Luis Urias double play for his first Major League save, marveled at his catcher.

“I have never seen anyone get rid of the ball that fast,” Tinoco said in Spanish through a translator. “The minute I saw the ball in the air, I knew it was going to be an out. It was flying so fast. I was already walking off to the dugout.”

While Daniel Murphy tied a career high with four hits, Trevor Story had two hits and two runs scored, Nolan Arenado drove in two runs and Charlie Blackmon led off the third with his 28th homer of the year, it ended up a celebration of Wolters displaying the talents that have made him a No. 1 catcher for the first time in his career.

After finishing last year at .170 in 74 games, essentially as backup to Chris Iannetta, Wolters did extensive offseason work on a swing that simply worked best for him.

Wolters’ double Saturday off starter Eric Lauer during the three-run second and his single off Luis Perdomo amid a six-run third weren’t necessarily smoked, but they were well-placed. Teams have been shifting to pull against the left-handed-hitting Wolters, but he put the double to left field. He put the single through the middle, and finished the night with his season batting average standing at .275.

And Wolters was hit with a pitch before scoring the ultimate difference-making run in the seventh.

The improved hitting earned Wolters regular starts. The Rockies -- falling out of contention and wanting to see prospect Dom Nuñez -- designated Iannetta for assignment on Aug. 13. But Wolters is the undisputed regular.

A converted infielder, Wolters debuted in 2016 and was mostly a backup for three seasons. This year, he is handling the increased workload.

“Our training staff, strength and conditioning, all the guys here help me so much,” Wolters said. “The main thing is stretching, making sure my shoulders, my hips -- everything is aligned. I’m making sure I’m drinking enough fluids, eating the right foods and getting enough sleep.”

The eighth-inning tailspin brought back memories of the nightmarish four-game series against the Padres in June, when the teams split but the Rockies colossally blew late leads in the two losses.

Wolters’ throw put the Padres’ rally to bed and helped the Rockies rest easier.