KFDM COOP Posted April 19, 2008 Report Posted April 19, 2008 Rockies edge Astros; lefty Rodriguez hurt Cooper tossed in dispute over call in center field Astros manager Cecil Cooper has been waiting impatiently since the start of the season for his offense to show some signs it’s going to get on track and put up runs in bunches. With the Astros scratching and clawing for every hit tonight against the Colorado Rockies, Cooper finally reached a breaking point and let three weeks of frustration – and a blown call – lead to his first ejection as manager. At least Cooper wasn’t around to see the Astros go down weakly at the plate in the final three innings and lose their third game in a row, 3-2 to the Rockies at Minute Maid Park. Cooper was ejected in the seventh after arguing Rockies center fielder Ryan Spilborghs should not have been awarded a catch on a fly ball hit by Geoff Blum, who would have wound up on second base to start the inning. The Astros managed only one base runner in the final five innings as Rockies pitchers sent down 16 of the final 17 batters they faced. Manny Corpas pitched the ninth for his fourth save. Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee went a combined 1-for-12. With the Rockies leading 3-2, Blum led off the seventh with a fly ball that Spilborghs made a dive for in right-center. Spilborghs, with his back to the infield, held the ball up in the air to show the umpire he had made a catch, and Blum was called out. But several players in the Astros’ bullpen who had a good look at the play were signaling that Spilborghs didn’t catch the ball, something that television replays appeared to confirm. Blum stood at second base with his hands on his head in disbelief while Cooper sprinted into shallow center field to confront second base umpire Mark Wegner, who made the call. Wegner had a conference with the rest of the umpiring crew and didn’t overturn the call. Cooper turned his attention to plate umpire Rick Reed on his way back to the dugout and was thrown out. Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez left after four innings of a 2-2 game because of a sore left groin. He gave up five hits, two runs, three walks and struck out five batters. The Rockies took a 3-2 lead in the fifth against reliever Oscar Villarreal (0-3) when Brad Hawpe singled home Matt Holliday, who led off the inning with a costly walk. The Astros managed just two infield hits after the third inning, including Michael Bourn’s one-out single in the eighth. Bourn stole second base – his second steal of the game and major-league-leading 11th of the season – but Kaz Matsui and Tejada both flied out to left. Bourn reached on an error to start the first, stole second and scored when Tejada hit into a double play. The Rockies tied it in the second when Garrett Atkins led off with a double and scored on a single by pitcher Aaron Cook (2-1). J.R. Towles led off the third with his fourth homer of the year to put the Astros ahead 2-1, but Colorado came back and tied it again in the fourth on Spilborghs’ RBI single.
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