CHICAGO — Colorado Rockies manager Walt Weiss expected his team would rebound less than 24 hours after taking a tough loss and trading away their star shortstop.
They did just that.
D.J. LeMahieu had three hits and scored twice to help the Rockies get a win in their first game after trading Troy Tulowitzki, beating Chicago 7-2.
"We’ve done it all year. We’ve played some of our best games after some of our toughest nights," Weiss said. "We talked before the game today and I had a good feeling that our guys would play a nice bounce-back game. That’s exactly what we did."
The Rockies were coming off a loss in which they rallied with four runs in the ninth to take the lead, only to lose when Chicago’s Kris Bryant hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the inning.
Then, Tulowitzki was traded along with right-handed reliever LaTroy Hawkins to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jose Reyes and a package of prospects in a deal reported after Monday night’s game and officially announced earlier Tuesday. Reyes could make his Rockies debut Wednesday in the series finale.
LeMahieu extended his hitting streak to 18 games with an RBI double as part of a four-run first, tripled in the fifth and singled in the ninth to help Colorado won for the third time in five games.
Daniel Descalso, who started at shortstop in this game, made a leaping grab of a line drive by Bryant to end the seventh inning and strand two runners.
"I think everyone was just excited to play baseball again, take our minds off of what’s been going on," LeMahieu said. "Walt just said we’ve got a lot of distractions going on right now — not that there isn’t always in this game — but there’s a lot right now, so just to focus on baseball right now. We played really well."
Yohan Flande (1-1) got his first career victory, giving up a run and four hits while walking three and striking out four in five innings. He came in 0-7 with a 4.97 ERA and was making his first start since Sept. 24.
Nolan Arenado had a two-run double and Nick Hundley added a run-scoring groundout in the first against Dallas Beeler (0-1). Recalled earlier Tuesday from Triple-A Iowa, Beeler lasted 1 1/3 innings and allowed four runs and four hits while walking three and striking out one.
"We just got off to a bad start — pitcher got off to a bad start — but listen, we have to do better offensively," Chicago manager Joe Maddon said.
Dexter Fowler had three hits, Jorge Soler had two, including a run-scoring single in the first, and Chris Coghlan had a pinch-home run in the seventh for Chicago, which has lost four of five.
"Joe warned us about it early in spring — we’re going to hit a bad patch and we just need to battle through it and do everything we can," said Travis Wood, who allowed one run over 3 2/3 innings of relief. "We’ll come out of it."
Colorado was better, despite what it’s gone through recently.
"Last night was one of the toughest nights of the year but we’ve been punched in the gut several times this year," Weiss said. "About every time we’ve come back the very next day and played some of our best baseball."
BUSINESS AS USUAL
After Tulowitzki was dealt, speculation shifted to OF Carlos Gonzalez, who said before Tuesday’s game he wouldn’t allow the rumours to get to him. "I’m not waiting for anything to happen," said Gonzalez, who went 0 for 4.
LOST IN SONG
Broadway star Shoshana Bean was unable to sing the national anthem after multiple microphones didn’t work for her. Instead, Wrigley Field organist Gary Pressy performed the anthem and many of the fans sang along.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Rockies: RHP Christian Bergman (right shoulder) was sent on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Cubs: LHP Tsuyoshi Wada (left shoulder) threw six innings and allowed two unearned runs Monday for Triple-A Iowa.
UP NEXT
Rockies: RHP Eddie Butler (3-6, 4.77) will make his first career start against the Cubs.
Cubs: LHP Jon Lester (5-8, 3.32) has faced Colorado only once in the regular season, but beat the Rockies in Game 4 of the 2007 World Series to clinch a title for Boston.
