New adventures of old Rockies
| July 28, 2009 | 8:53 AM
More journal entries from Steve Foster »
The Colorado Rockies that finished of the Giants in an impressive 4-2 win Sunday are the new Rockies: determined, professional, the kind of team that wins a game it needs to win.
The Colorado Rockies that blew a 3-1 lead to the Mets on Monday night, eventually losing thanks to an eighth-inning grand slam from Fernando Tatis, are the old Rockies: anxious, frustrating, the kind of team that misses opportunity after opportunity to put a game away.
The Rockies had their chances:
- In the third inning, Dexter Fowler led off with a double and stole third base with one out. But Garrett Atkins struck out when all he had to do was put the ball in play to score Fowler. Brad Hawpe flied out to end the inning.
- In the fourth inning, the Rockies put two on with walks. With two outs, Ubaldo Jimenez chopped a ball over the mound for an infield single to load the bases. Fowler struck out to end the inning.
- In the fifth inning, after Clint Barmes led off with a home run, the Rockies put runners at first and second with one out on a pair of walks. Ryan Spilborghs and Ian Stewart grounded out to end that threat.
- In the seventh inning, the Rockies put runners on first and third with two-out singles from Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki. Spilborghs, batting in the seventh inning despite a bench that included Seth Smith, Todd Helton and Carlos Gonzalez, again grounded out to end the inning.
If the Rockies had come through in even one of those innings, the dynamic of the game would have changed completely. Instead, the team let the Mets hang around and when Juan Rincon came in to pitch the eighth and forgot where the plate was — he loaded the basses with three walks, one intentional — it felt like what the Rockies had been asking to have happen all game, would happen. It did when Franklin Morales gave up the home run with the wrong pitch at the right time. But the loss was not his fault. The Rockies lost this game several innings before that.
They have bounced back from games like this. Their loss last Tuesday to Arizona was similar, and they came back to finish off a successful — if underwhelming — homestand. But they have nine more games on this road trip. If the old Rockies continue to show up, it’s going to a long one.
Journals, Sports, Steve Foster
arizona diamondbacks, carlos gonzalez, clint barmes, colorado rockies, dexter fowler, franklin morales, garrett atkins, ian stewart, juan rincon, new york mets, ryan spilborghs, san francisco giants, seth smith, todd helton, troy tulowitzki, ubaldo jimenez
