Rockies manager Bud Black on Charlie Blackmon getting ejected: “Charlie is usually right”

Rockies manager Bud Black can be really subtle when he wants to be … and still get his point across.

Case in point, how he handled questions about the ejection of all-star right fielder Charlie Blackmon in the seventh inning of Colorado’s 3-1 loss at San Francisco on Friday at Oracle Park.

Blackmon was ejected by home plate umpire Ben May after Blackmon let loose. Blackmon was upset after May rang him up for a called third strike that looked low and outside. It was the fourth time in his career that Blackmon was ejected.

“Charlie has a tremendous strike-zone awareness,” Black said. “He knows a ball from a strike. And some frustration built up today with a few of our guys. … I do think, overall, Charlie is usually right, when he, for lack of a better word, challenges the umpire on the strike zone.”

Flexible lineup. Speedy Garrett Hampson hit leadoff for the third straight game Friday, and Ryan McMahon — who’s hit four home runs in the early going, including three on Tuesday night against Arizona — batted second against the Giants.

“You want to get the guys who are swinging the bat best up the most, and you want to do that from the get-go,” Black said.

Fan favorite? Hampson, who has four stolen bases, has been something of a sparkplug early in the season. Black agreed that Hampson is a “throwback” player and exciting to watch.

“The fans will get to know him, they’ll get to know his style of play,” Black said. “And when he gets on base, there will be an anticipation of him running, which I think is a good thing.

“But on the other end, so will the opposition. I mean, he won’t be able to sneak up on people. Still, if you have that ability to steal bases, create havoc, I think that’s an exciting part of the game. Speed is something that is thrilling for fans, so he could definitely become a fan favorite.”

On Deck
Rockies RHP Chi Chi Gonzalez (1-0, 5.40) at Giants RHP Logan Webb (0-1, 5.06)
2:05 p.m. Saturday, Oracle Park
TV: AT&T SportsNet
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM

Gonzalez, let go by the Rockies after the 2020 season, is back in the rotation. He’ll make his first start of the season after two relief appearances in the Rockies’ opening four-game series against the Dodgers at Coors Field. He’s faced the Giants five times (four starts) going 0-2 with a 5.31 ERA. Gonzalez is 0-1 with a 5.23 ERA in two career starts at Oracle Park. Webb was lights out in spring training, allowing just one run on seven hits and two walks while striking out 22 over 17 innings in the Cactus League. Webb, however, didn’t pitch particularly well in his first regular-season start, allowing three runs on seven hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings in a loss to Seattle. He’s 2-0 with a 4.02 ERA in three games (two starts) vs. Colorado.

Trending: Chris Owings tripled in the ninth inning Friday for the eighth pinch-hit triple on the road for a Rockies player in franchise history and the first since Brandon Barnes did it on Aug. 8, 2014, at Arizona. Owings leads the majors with three triples this season.

At issue: Through their first eight games, the Rockies have walked 41 batters, an average of 4.92 walks per nine innings, one of the worst marks in the majors.

Pitching Probables
Sunday: Rockies RHP German Marquez (0-0, 3.60) at Giants RHP Anthony DeSclafani (0-0, 1.80), 2:05 p.m., ATTRM
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Rockies Antonio Senzatela (1-1, 5.56) at Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (1-1, 4.26), 8:10 p.m., ATTRM

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