DENVER (AP) — Chad Kuhl pitched six scoreless innings during his home debut with the Rockies before leaving with a tight right hip flexor and right hamstring, and Charlie Blackmon hit a go-ahead home run to lead Colorado over the Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 on Monday night.
Kuhl (1-0) allowed a pair of singles, struck out four and walked one, throwing 42 of 68 pitches for strikes.
“Just really good fastball command. Felt like I was getting ahead,” Kuhl said. “I was getting quick outs with the two-seam. Just one of those things; got a little cold. But it’s not going to be a problem.”
He went to the mound to warm up for the seventh but didn’t start the inning. Rockies manager Bud Black and assistant athletic trainer Heath Townsend came out to check on Kuhl. Following a long discussion, he went to the dugout and Tyler Kinley relieved with a 2-0 lead.
“After the sixth he said that he was having some hip flexor issues, a little tightness sort of wrapping around his hamstring,” Black said. “He’s moving around in the dugout. He was just trying to stay active.
“He wanted to continue, which is admirable, but I made the decision to make the change. I just didn’t feel comfortable.”
Sam Hilliard and C.J. Cron had two hits apiece, Kinley worked a perfect seventh and Alex Colome allowed a two-out walk in a hitless ninth for his first Rockies save.
Aaron Nola (1-2) took a shutout into the sixth before Blackmon led off with his first home run this season. Nola left after a one-out single by Cron, who came around to score on a groundout and two wild pitches by José Alvarado.
“I thought Alvarado was probably as good as anyone,” Philadelphia manager Joe Girardi said. “He’s tough on lefties. He does get the groundball but unfortunately the…