Licensed barber, reliever Abad cherishes first win in 2,226 days

DENVER -- Fernando Abad has a story to tell the next time someone who wasn’t at Coors Field on Tuesday night sits in his adjustable chair. And unlike many stories told by barbers, Abad’s yarn will be verifiably true.

That’s right. When not cutting and styling hair, Abad is a Rockies veteran relief pitcher, which is another way of saying he’s a well-traveled character barely known publicly, but well-respected among teammates both in the Majors and Triple-A Albuquerque.

But Tuesday -- for the first time in 2,226 days -- he became something else: a winning pitcher in the Majors, thanks to his 1 1/3 innings of the bullpen-run 4-3 victory over the Astros.

A lefty specialist before the three-batter minimum and an "any-inning" guy since, Abad is 9-29 in his career. So chances to win are few and the victories are cherished. A baseball from Tuesday will go to the same place as one from his last “W,” for the Red Sox over the Phillies on June 13, 2017.

“I got the ball and gave it to my mom,” said Abad, 37. “When they give it [a ball from Tuesday] to me, I’m going to sign it and give it to my mom again.”

Abad was one of several bright spots in a game that highlighted the best part of the 37-58 Rockies. Their bullpen is airtight when they have rare leads -- 24-9 ahead after six innings, 28-3 after seven and 34-2 after eight. With four of their main starters on the injured list, two (Germán Márquez and Antonio Senzatela) gone for the year with elbow injuries and just three starters on the current roster, Tuesday had to be a "bullpen game."

Some teams can use “openers” or “bullpen games” when they want. But the nature of games at Coors and, frankly, the struggles of the rotation -- which often force relievers to make extended appearances -- make it hard for the Rockies. But the schedule had them off Monday and Thursday, and their one consistent starter, Austin Gomber, is scheduled to pitch Wednesday against the Astros.

Tuesday was the third bullpen game this season. Jake Bird gave up three first-inning runs and this one seemed headed in the losing direction of the other two.

But Tommy Doyle pitched two innings, overcoming a leadoff walk in his second frame. Abad walked the leadoff man and committed a fielding error in his first frame, but like Doyle, he escaped with a double play and went 1 1/3 scoreless. Gavin Hollowell pitched around two hits in 1 2/3, Pierce Johnson dealt with two hits in the seventh, and Daniel Bard and Justin Lawrence (sixth save) each had clean and dominating frames with a strikeout apiece.

It was the first time in Rockies history they pitched eight scoreless relief innings in a nine-inning game. They had 7 2/3 scoreless twice before, in 2015 and 2018.

“Sometimes it’s hard during games to use four or five relievers and for all of them to be flawless, but today they were,” Rockies manager Bud Black said.

There were other key players. Kris Bryant and Ryan McMahon knocked back-to-back first-inning homers to tie the score. Ezequiel Tovar drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI triple in the fourth.

The postgame scene turned into an appreciation for the guy who learned to cut hair from his uncle, became licensed and is the proud owner of Fernando Abad 58 Barber Shop in the Dominican Republic. He smiled and even showed his ballistic nylon carrying case of clippers, scissors, oils and styling tools that have served him well at various stops.

And it turns out that Abad takes the barbering tradition -- conversation, even occasional life advice -- with him to his main job.

“He’s really good,” said Doyle, referring to Abad’s coiffuring skills, before praising him more. “Abad’s a good guy to pick his brain as far as questions, or just hanging out. I haven’t asked him for too many stories. Most of it is just hanging out in the bullpen and talking shop.”

Abad was a sounding board in Albuquerque, where pitching conditions are more extreme than Coors.

“They get frustrated because they think, ‘I can throw 98 or 99, nobody can hit me,’” Abad said. “But you make a mistake and they put the ball in play, home run. They think too much. But they’re younger, but they can learn.”

Márquez, Doyle and Nolan Jones said they’ve gone to Abad with their hair and left pleased.

But when the Rockies designated him for assignment on May 21, six days after calling him up the first time, and released him, why didn’t he pack his clippers and leave the team?

“They gave me the opportunity to keep grinding in my career, go to Spring Training and do the job I love,” Abad said. “They treated me well and were honest with me. The team in Triple-A was amazing to me. And I’m a nice guy. We can be like brothers.”