PITTSBURGH — Rockies closer Daniel Bard believes the less it’s about him, the better.
Having prevailed in just one of the previous 11 road games and four of the previous 16 overall, the Rockies found themselves in a low-scoring tussle with the even more win-starved Pirates. Manager Bud Black rang the bullpen before the ninth, and told Bard if the game went 10, Tuesday night’s game was still his.
With runners at first and third and one out, Bard exploded the bat of debuting phenom Cal Mitchell, and shortstop José Iglesias threw home to prevent the winning run. Bard, after pumping his fist, didn’t let the Pirates come close again in the Rockies’ 2-1 victory at PNC Park.
“Personally, I’ve found it’s always easier when I’m focused on the team accomplishments and team success, and tonight’s a really good example,” said Bard, who’s pitching solidly with 23 strikeouts in 16 1/3 innings, and 10 conversions in 12 save chances. “I knew how bad we needed this win to break the skid. For me, that’s the most fun baseball — when you’re doing this for the 25 guys around me to change the mood in that clubhouse.”
Moods in clubhouses are easy to gauge. Go through a stretch like the Rockies have and it’s not a laugh riot. And the important temperature — as in whether the team is capable of heating up, like during the team’s strong start to the season — can’t be detected by staring at guys in the clubhouse. But it’s a lot easier to hold confidence when a team wins a game like Tuesday’s,…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Rockies News