Running Thoughts: De La Rosa vs Olsen

Very classy opening to the broadcast tonight.  Once again I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rockies President Keli McGregor.

The games go on.

Interesting lineup card tonight for Jim Tracy.  Spilborghs starts for Gonzalez and leads off.  Fowler, Helton, Tulo and Hawpe are all in their customary spots.  Melvin Mora plays second and moves up to 6th.  Miguel Olivo gets another start and hits 7th.  Ian Stewart then drops to 8th against a left-hander.

Personally, when Gonzalez isn't starting, I'd much prefer Fowler leads off and you put Smith or Spilborghs in an RBI position.  Especially Spilly, who seems to have a knack for driving in runs.  That's just me.  Nonetheless I'll be curious to see how this particular alignment works out for the squad tonight.

Time to get a W.
1st Inning

• We have early indications of a wide strikezone tonight.  Maybe that'll help get the Rockies pitchers on track.  
• Quiet 1st from the Rockies offensively.  Olsen gets them 1-2-3 on about 10 pitches.  
• Real nice start for De La Rosa.  Couple punchouts and a groundout.  Roughly 17 pitches.
• Last night's game also started with a 6 up, 6 down first inning.  Let's hope that's all the resemblance we see to that game.  

2nd Inning

• Tulowitzki leads off the 2nd with a big blast to leftcenter.  That had to feel good.  I know it sounded good!  
• After retiring Hawpe and Mora, Olsen walks Miguel Olivo and then Ian Stewart makes him pay with an RBI.  
• Miguel Olivo scoring from first on a gapper is the least exciting play in baseball.  
• Ball 4: Adam Dunn.  
• The strikezone seems to have shrunk in the 2nd inning.  I much preferred the larger version.  
• De La Rosa works out of a minor jam.  No solid contact from Nationals hitters to this point.  Just a walk and swinging bunt single.  
• Rockies 2, Nationals 0

3rd Inning

• Fowler leads off the third with a triple.  We've seen this situation before.  
• Helton rakes an 0-2 single for the RBI.  No frustration with stranding Fowler this time!
• More Rockies hits!  Tulo singles and then Hawpe follows with his own RBI single.  Still no outs.  
• 5 straight hits: Melvin Mora RBI single.  
• Stewart walked intentionally to load the bases for DLR.  
• De La Rosa CLEARS THE BASES.  Holy ****.  
• Oh, and Spilborghs homers.  
• De La Rosa has to throw about 6 strikes to Adam Dunn before getting the strikezone.  This umpire's zone is horribly inconsistent.  
• Rockies 10, Nationals 0

4th Inning

• Melvin Mora triples to center.  Is this night even real??
• Willingham walks.  How about we practice not walking people while we're up 10-0?   
• De La Rosa pumping strikes to Desmond and this frickin clown Bruce Dreckman just stands there.  
• DLR works around the crappy strikezone to get another 0.  87 pitches through 5.  

5th Inning

• Zilch for the Rockies.
• Ryan Zimmerman turns on and punishes Jorge's fastball.  Knocks 20% off the lead.  
• Another walk.  We know DLR isn't getting into the 7th.  I'm starting to wonder if he even wants the W here.  
• Finally gets through the 5th.  
• Rockies 10, Nationals 2

6th Inning

• Melvin Mora with 3 hits tonight.  I wonder if he's earned another start either at second or maybe third tomorrow.  Stewart or even Tulo is due for an off day.  
• DLR starts the inning with 108 pitches.  Serves up a double and single.  Dreckman still not helping with his strikezone. 
• Matt Belisle relieves DLR after 118 pitches.  0 outs in the 5th.   
• Nats trims one more off the lead.  Almost feels like the Rockies are losing.  WEIRD game.  Also, AWFUL quality thanks to the shitty strikezone. 
• Rockies 10, Nationals 4

7th Inning

• Nothing doing in the 7th for Colorado.  The typical late inning offensive malaise has settled in.  
• Matt Belisle works the 7th.  At least to start.  
• Almost nodded off.  Nice job by Belisle.  
• These next 6 outs might feel like 6 innings.  

8th Inning

• Hawpe wakes up the bats with a 2 out double.  
• Mora takes one right down the middle for ball four.  Past the three hour mark in the top of 8.  No mystery as to why that is.  
• Olivo grounds out to end the mild threat.  
• Randy Flores retires two and then allows a double to Cristian Guuuuuuzman.  
• Exit Flores, enter Daley.  Inning over.  

9th Inning

• Jason Giambi still hitless on the season.  Say what?  
• Here comes Franklin!