Colorado Rockies pitcher Juan Nicasio (3-1, 4.10 ERA) enjoyed facing the Kansas City Royals' hitters on Friday night when he threw shutout innings with just three hits allowed. He led the Rockies to a 9-0 victory. All three hits were singles coming in the second, fifth and eight innings, the latter of the infield variety. He struck out four.
Making his Rockies debut, Mark Ellis made the most of it by going 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored. He hit a single in his first at-bat, sent a ball over the left center wall for a two-run homer in the fifth inning and then doubled in a run in the sixth inning. He fell a triple shy of the cycle.
Charlie Blackmon celebrated his 25th birthday in style with a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning. It was the first of his career.
Todd Helton also came up big with a 4-for-5 night with two RBI. Those two RBI scored on a sixth-inning double, the 542nd of his career (tying Harry Heilmann for 26th all-time). Troy Tulowitzki drove in two on a third-inning home run, his 16th of the season. Ty Wigginton put the first Rockies run on the board with a single.
Edgmer Escalona, just called up on Friday, preserved the shutout in the ninth inning
The Rockies (40-42, 21-21 home) continue this series on Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. MT. Greg Reynolds starts in place of Jhoulys Chacin, who is overcoming forearm stiffness. Kyle Davies opposes him.
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