Coleman continues to open eyes in 2-0 win over Astros
HOUSTON -- The conventional wisdom in baseball says that spring training and September are two bad times to evaluate anybody.
Don't tell that to Cubs rookie pitcher Casey Coleman. Or to a few other people.
Coleman worked 7 shutout innings Friday night as the Cubs blanked the Houston Astros 2-0 at Minute Maid Park. It was the team's second shutout in a row. Coleman ran his record to 4-2 with a 4.11 ERA as he continues to open eyes, a process that began back in spring training.
"Spring training for me this year was huge, just because it was my first time in a big-league clubhouse, facing big-league hitters and in front of a great crowd out there in Arizona every time out with the Cubs," Coleman said. "It was big for me. It helps you get a little more comfortable so it didn't take as long when I got up here."
The Cubs aren't playing for the playoffs, but there are impressions to make for next year and jobs to win.
"I think it means a lot to a lot of guys in this clubhouse," Coleman said. "I know it means a lot to 'Q' (manager Mike Quade), and he's managing hard every time out. He's just giving us a lot of confidence. He's done a great job, and all the players in here are still playing hard."
Quade gave the credit to Coleman.
"He's been excellent; he's done a heck of a job," said Quade who is 23-12 as manager. "It's ultimately about performance. I don't know how many people knew who Casey Coleman was eight weeks ago or nine weeks ago. He's got a special place in my heart because they know who he is now."
Coleman helped himself on the mound and at the plate. He gave up 6 hits while walking one and striking out two. After Welington Castillo hit an RBI double in the second, Coleman got a sacrifice bunt down. In the fourth, he hit an RBI double to right-center off Bud Norris to score Bobby Scales (3 walks, 1 single).
"That was probably the only pitch I was going to be able to hit that at-bat," Coleman said. "A fastball down and in. He's got good stuff. It was a right-time, right-place kind of swing, and it worked out."
Speaking of working out, Coleman worked out of second-and-third, nobody-out trouble in the fifth, getting a soft lineout before walking No. 8 hitter Jason Castro. He got Norris to ground into an inning-ending double play.
"I was bearing down and focusing and trying to make the good pitch on Castro instead of just giving in and seeing what he could do with it," he said. "Just trying to make good pitches in, and I walked him. But the pitcher came up, and that's when you've got to bear down and make your good pitch down. It worked out where they made a good play and got a double-play ball."
<p class="factboxheadblack">Bruce Miles' game tracker</p>
<p class="News">Cubs 2, Astros 0</p>
<p class="News"><b>Shutting them out:</b> Casey Coleman, Andrew Cashner and Carlos Marmol shut out the Astros one night after the Cubs blanked the Padres. In all, Cubs pitchers have worked 21 consecutive scoreless innings. </p>
<p class="News"><b>Saving grace:</b> Marmol earned his 38th save, working a perfect ninth and striking out two. He now has 138 strikeouts in 772/3 innings. That's 15.99 strikeouts per 9 innings. The major-league record for relievers is 14.98, set by the Dodgers' Eric Gagne in 2003. </p>
<p class="News"><b>Scaling the heights:</b> Bobby Scales started at third base. He walked three times and singled once. </p>
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