Rockies Report - July 11 San Diego at Colorado

               The Colorado Rockies arrived at Coors Field early on Sunday morning for the final contest of a 10 game home stand.  Even before the first pitch yesterday the Rox had to feel good about their recent performance.   Colorado is 8 – 1 in those 9 games and, with a win Sunday, would go into the All Star break tied for first place in the ultra competitive NL West.  But unfortunately for Colorado, the baseball Gods were not on their side this sunny Sunday afternoon.

                Rockies starting pitcher Jeff Francis continued to battle the command problems that have dogged him since returning to the rotation following a season-and-a-half long stint on the DL.  The 29 year old Canadian was routinely behind in the count and ended up surrendering 3 runs on 8 hits in his 5 innings of work.  “(Francis) had trouble commanding his pitches to both sides of the plate,” said Colorado Manager Jim Tracy after the game.  “It was a struggle for him,” Tracy later added.  Still Francis, who is as competitive as any player on the roster, battled through his struggles and allowed the fewest runs he has allowed in his previous 3 starts.  Francis’ struggles are to be expected considering he has had major surgery and hasnot pitched competitively for the better part of 2 seasons.

                The Padres scored in 3 of the first 4 innings.  The first run of the afternoon came when left fielder Scott Hairston connected on a Francis changeup to score Aaron Cunningham, who had reached base after being struck by an errant sinker 3 at bats prior.  In the top of the second inning Cunningham would be involved in another scoring play with his RBI double to left which scored second baseman Jerry Hairston, Scott’s younger brother.  The Padres took a 3 – 0 lead in the top of the fourth with a Jerry Hairston single which allowed shortstop Everth Cabrera to trot home. 

                San Diego starting pitcher Clayton Richard was flawless in his first three innings of work.  It wasn’t until Dexter Fowler worked a four pitch walk to lead off the bottom of the fourth that Richard allowed a Rockie to reach base.  Richard would surrender his first hit, and first run, of the game the next at bat when Colorado second baseman Jonathan Herrera blasted a line drive triple to right which scored the speedy Fowler.  A single from Carlos Gonzalez followed and Herrera jogged home to cut the Padres lead to 3 – 2.   The Rox were able to tie the game at 3 the next inning when Brad Hawpe, who was in the game as a pinch-hitter for Jeff Francis, connected on a Richard fastball for a RBI double.  Hawpe’s double allowed shortstop Clint Barmes, who had managed to walk in the prior at bat, to score from first.

                Colorado appeared to take control of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning by scoring three runs and chasing Clayton Richard from the game.  After the afore mentioned perfect first three innings, the wheels came off for Richard and he finished the game by allowing 6 runs on 6 hits.  Cargo worked a walk, advanced to second on a deep fly ball out by Ryan Spilborghs and scored on a Miguel Olivo single.  Third baseman Ian Stewart took a 93 mph fastball on the ribs from Padres reliever Luke Gregerson, perhaps payback for Francis’ first inning bean-ball on Cunningham.  After a soft single from Barmes, Rockies relief pitcher Jhoulys Chacin helped his own cause with a 2 out line drive single to score Stewart.  Stewart’s 40th run scored of the season gave Colorado a comfortable 6 – 3 lead heading into the seventh. 

                But Colorado watched their comfortable lead evaporate as San Diego demonstrated why they hold the number one position in the NL West.  Chacin allowed singles from Adrian Gonzalez and Scott Hairston, ending his day.  Chacin replacement Randy Flores didn’t fare any better, allowing a 2 run double by San Diego third baseman Chase Headley.  Tracy quickly pulled the plug on Flores, replacing him with hard throwing right-hander Matt Belise.  Belisle was able to get the final two outs of the seventh by getting Chris Denorfia to fly out to center and subsequently striking out Everth Cabrera. 

                Belisle’s success would be short-lived however as he allowed back-to-back hits to lead off the 8^th.  After intentionally walking Adrian Gonzalez, a Belisle throwing error allowed Nick Hundley to reach base, Hairston and Cunningham to score and gave San Diego their first lead since the fifth inning.  The significance of the throwing error was not lost on Jim Tracy who said after the game, “we were one good throw away from a ninth inning lead.”  The ninth inning saw the Colorado bullpen allow another 2 runs, this time off of Rafael Betancourt thanks to a 2-run homer from Everth Cabrera, his first big fly of the season.  For fans questioning why Tracy didn’t bring in star closer Houston Street, the reasoning was that Street had worked the previous 4 games and wasn’t likely be effective.  There was “no way (Street) was going to pitch today,” Tracy told reporters after the game.  Street had been stellar since returning to the pen after a 3-month stint on the DL, boasting a 2.19 ERA and having converted 5 saves in 5 opportunities.

                Down 9 – 6 entering the final frame, the Rockies battled and made things interesting but ultimately came up 2 runs short.  Their sole run of the final 3 innings came off of a Gonzalez double which scored Herrera.  The Padres elected to use All Star closer Heath Bell for a 5-out save, bringing him in to face Ian Stewart in the eighth inning.  Bell acknowledged the importance of the win after the game.  When speaking with FSN’s Alana Rizzo, Bell said, “they’re really pesky….we feel it will be us and Colorado (for the NL West title).”   

                Despite the loss, the Rockies have to feel good about their performance for the first half of the season.  Even though they’ve lacked the services of their closer, #2 starting pitcher and All Star shortstop for significant portions of the season, Colorado is currently in second place and only 2 games behind San Diego for the NL West lead.  Their 49-39 record is the club’s best ever at the All Star break and they appear poised for another playoff run.

Rockies Report - July 6 St. Louis at Colorado

Rain couldn’t stop the Rockies.  Neither could a shaky performance by starting pitcher Jeff Francis.  What about a 3 run homer from former-Rockie Matt Holliday?  Nope.  Stranding 13 runners on base in 8 innings couldn’t stop ‘em either.  Not even a 6 run deficit in the 9^th inning could hold the Rox back.

On Tuesday night at Coors Field the Rockies made history.  Down 9 – 3 entering the 9^th inning Colorado scored an unprecedented 9 runs to come back and snatch a 12 – 9 victory from the jaws of defeat.  "Best comeback I've ever been associated with," said Rockies Manager Jim Tracy after the game.  It was the biggest comeback in the 18 year history of the club.

St. Louis got things started in the 3^rd inning when 3^rd baseman Felipe Lopez homered off of Francis to score former-Rockie Aaron Miles, who had singled in the prior at-bat.  The Red Birds followed the 2-out homerun by Lopez with a single from centerfielder Colby Rasmus, who later came around to score on a double from All Star first baseman Albert Pujols.  The Rox were able to answer back in the bottom of the 3^rd inning on a 2-run homerun to deep center field from Carlos Gonzalez.  Cargo’s big fly scored his fellow outfielder Dexter Fowler who had walked to lead off the inning. 

The top of the 4^th inning saw the Cardinals do more damage to Francis.  After walking St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, Francis allowed a single from shortstop Tyler Greene.  Pitcher Blake Hawksworth, batting in the 8 hole, was able to lay down a sacrifice bunt and advance Greene and Molina.  A sacrifice fly by Miles and another hit from Lopez gave St. Louis a 5 – 2 lead.  This was enough to chase Francis from the game.  In only 4 innings of work the south-paw surrendered 5 runs on 6 hits while walking 2 and tallying only 1 strikeout.  It was Francis’ 10^th start of the season after spending part of 2008 and all of 2009 on the DL with shoulder problems. 

The Cardinals added another run in the 5^th inning when Pujols scored on a Molina single.  A 3-run homer from Matt Holliday in the 6^th inning off of starter-turned-reliever Jhoulys Chacin made it a 9 – 2 St. Louis lead.  This ended Chacin’s night as he was replaced by struggling reliever Manny Corpas.  Things looked bleak for Rockies but, as Tracy said after the game, “you play for 9 innings.”  The Rockies took the words of the 2009 NL Manager of Year to heart and were able to manufacture a run in the bottom of the 7^th. Back-to-back singles from outfielder Seth Smith and third baseman Ian Stewart, a wild pitch from St Louis reliever Trever Miller and a run-scoring ground out from catcher Chris Ianetta made the score 9 – 3.

Maligned reliever Manuel Corpas found his groove and pitched 2 perfect innings in relief of Chacin.  He was only Rockies pitcher not to allow a run for the night.  Corpas would pick up the win, improving his record to 3 – 5 and lowering his ERA to 4.70. 

The bottom of the 9^th was reminiscent of the magical 2007 season which saw the Rockies win in dramatic fashion again and again on the way to the club’s first World Series appearance.  Catcher Miguel Olivo got things started with a single off of St Louis reliever Dennys Reyes.  That knock was followed by a single from pinch-hitter Melvin Mora and a subsequent Barmes walk.  A passed ball allowed Olivo to score.  St Louis went back to their bullpen and brought in closer Ryan Franklin to replace Reyes.  The pitching change didn’t help however as Ianetta, now playing at 3^rd base, blasted a 3-2 pitch to the left field stands to score Barmes and Mora.  Ianetta said he was “expecting (a) fastball” from Franklin on the 3-2 count.  He sat dead red and it paid off, cutting the Cardinals lead to 9 – 7.  Ianetta’s homer was followed by a double from Fowler who came around to score 2 at bats later when Gonzalez singled to right.  First baseman Jason Giambi picked up his third hit of the game with a line drive single to right, then advanced to second on a fielding error by St. Louis right fielder Randy Winn.  This allowed Gonzalez to round 3^rd and tie the game at 9.  Olivo followed Giambi’s lead and picked up his third hit of the night with a ground ball single to right.  Pinch-runner Aaron Cook, in for Giambi, went first to third on the hit on a fine piece of base running.  With the score tied at 9, Rockies outfielder Seth Smith entered the batter’s box.  On a 2-2 count Smith connected with Franklin’s 84 mph slider, hitting it into the right field stands for a walk-off 3 run homer. 

As Smith rounded the bases with an ear-to-ear grin and Rockies coaches and fans hugged one another in jubilation, Smith’s teammates poured out of the dugout and met the night’s hero at home plate.  Smith tossed his batting helmet onto the infield and leaped onto home plate to make the win official.  The Rox clubhouse was called euphoric by those there but, to a man, the players kept perspective.  “I will enjoy it tonight and maybe a little tomorrow morning but then come back here and try to do it again,” said Smith, who went 3-4 on the night.  All Star finalist Carlos Gonzalez said, “we never stop believing we can win,” an excellent summation of the team’s mindset going into the 9^th down by 6 runs.

Was it the greatest win in Rockies history?  No, that honor still belongs to either the 163^rd game of the 2007 regular season or the NLCS clinching victory that same season.  But this win ranks right up there and, hopefully, will help propel the Rockies to their 3^rd post season in the last 4 years.