Running Thoughts: Cook vs. Niese

Preview

Chris Iannetta makes his hopefully triumphant return to the starting lineup tonight.  Not a big fan of the catching rotation so far, even if Olivo has knocked a couple balls over the fence.  I prefer to see Iannetta get 60-40 split in his favor unless it's clear he's struggling.  Right now it's looking more 60-40 in Olivo's favor.

No Hawpe or Gonzalez in the lineup.  Hawpe sounds more likely to pinch-hit or play defense.  Indications are CarGo would only see emergency action.

Less than 10 minutes from first pitch.  Let's ensure a winning homestand tonight.

1st Inning

• Bob Apodaca mic'ed up tonight.  This oughta be interesting.  
• Todd Helton made an error.  Holy Sh*t.  
• Jose Reyes walks to third as the Rockies completely fall asleep defensively.  Not the sharpest start mentally.
• Cookie pitches around the error, the mental lapse, and a little bit of wildness to earn a scoreless first.  I fully expect him to settle in now.  
• Kinda starting to wonder when Dexter Fowler will start hitting righties or lefties this season.  *Inhale* Patience.
  
  

2nd Inning

• Jeff Francoeur just launched the first pitch.  Why the hell do you give a first pitch free swinger anything to hit there?  
• Rockies don't score first for the first time this year.  
• Clint Barmes pulls an RBI double in the corner.  As I mentioned in the preview, Barmes has Niese's number.  
• Cook & Smith pop out to strange a couple more in scoring position.  Seven inning game tonight.  
• Rockies 1, Mets 1 

3rd Inning

• Troy Tulowitzki with a gem on Jose Reyes.   
• Cook hasn't settled down yet.  Leaves one right in David Wright's wheelhouse.  Wright hurt it badly.  
• Todd Helton beats a ridiculous Mets shift with a double to right.  That's a rally starter.  
• Because Ryan Spilborghs just went straight away center with a 3-run bomb.  That was abso-freaking-lutely demolished.  
• Rockies 4, Mets 3

4th Inning

• Cook catches a big break on a call at second base that helps work him through the inning.  He's not fooling too many guys and just looks like he's trying to survive five innings.  Still a chance to settle in though.  
• Cookie doubles to the oppo gap.  Couple fantastic swings from him tonight.  
• It's Dexter!  Singles to right, distracts the defense long enough for Cook to score from second.  Some skilled, aggressive baserunning by all involved.  
• Rockies 5, Mets 3

5th Inning

• Running the bases is exactly what Cook needed to burn that excess energy.  Pitches his best inning of the night striking out Wright and Bay.  
• Nisee has made some adjustments with Barmes,  Throw it hard away or above of the letters and then watch him swing and miss.  

6th Inning

• A clearly refreshed Cook has missed with 8 of his 9 pitches in the 6th.  1st and 2nd with no outs.  
• Cook pitches around the traffic again.  His start has turned into a Cookmanlike grind it out special.  
• Speaking of Cook... he just doubled again.  Three doubles for Rockies pitchers in this series.  
• And Cook stands at second the whole inning.  Nice job by the Mets Valdez to make Helton look absolutely silly for an entire AB.  

7th Inning

• Matt Daley takes the 7th.  Overall you can't be displeased with Cook tonight.  Hopefully it'll hold up.
• Ian Stewart's second error of the season doesn't deter Daley.    Good to see the pitchers pitching around the defensive lapses, which, by the way, are still happening too frequently.  
• Mets do everything wrong -- hit, error, wild pitch -- but Rockies can't add on.  

8th Inning

• Rafael Betancourt takes the ball for the 8th.  Setting up just how the Rockies like it.  
• Except for the leadoff single by Jason Bay.  That's not in the plan.  
• On the verge of a scoreless inning, Betancourt gives Rod Barajas a cookie he can handle on an 0-2 pitch.  Cuts the lead in half.  That was a head scratcher.  
• Rockies 5, Mets 4

9th Inning

• Batten down the hatches... here comes Franklin.  
• Tulo mishandles a play we're used to seeing him make routinely.  Wasn't easy by any stretch, but just shows the Rockies are a step slow defensively.  
• Iannetta throwing error leads to a sac fly.  We're tied up.  Morales should have had a 1-2-3 inning.  
• Hoping we can get a walk-off here.  Rockies don't need any marathons early in this two week sold stretch.  
• Crickets for the Rockies bats in the 9th.  Here we go again.  
• Rockies 5, Mets 5

10th Inning

• Manny Corpas in.  Shatters Mike Jacobs bat... and the ball bounces off the scoreboard for a double.  
• Randy Flores cleans up a mini-mess left by Corpas.  Please walk-off.  Now.  
• Thank you, Chris Iannetta.  Thank you!  
• Final: Rockies 6, Mets 5