Running Thoughts: Smith. vs Benson

Miguel Olivo played just hours after passing two kidney stones?  That dude really does have stones!

How about this lineup... EY Jr. starting again, leading off again... and playing LF.  Alright.  Let's see how this goes.

Fowler, Helton, Tulowitzki, Gonzalez, Olivo, Stewart.  No surprises there.

Melvin Mora gets the nod over Barmes at second.  Could be an interesting defense day again as we've seen a few when Mora plays.

Only notable resting for Arizona is SS Stephen Drew.  That makes sense against the lefty Smith.

Alright... time to take another series.
1st Inning

• Smith walks the leadoff man, Kelly Johnson, after being up in the count 1-2.  Now Abreu singles.  This guy still has no confidence in his ability to put hitters away.  Pretty sad.  
• Now Young Jr. misplays an Upton hard hit ball to left.  This one has a chance to get very ugly, very quickly.  
• Adam Laroche doubles off the wall.  Two more in.  Greg Smith has to man up here sooner or later.  
• Chris Young 3-run HR.  Six batters into this game it's 6-0.  
• One out... and now another walk.  
• Smith settles down (note sarcasm) to retire the side.  
• All that damage on only 32 pitches.  That's kind of impressive... in all the wrong ways.  
• Well... the bad news is the score.  The good news is Kris Benson is on the mound.  Chip away boys!
• No chipping in the first, just some chirping from Tulo on a questionable called third strike.  
• D-Backs 6, Rockies 0

2nd Inning

• Greg Smith done.  Here's Matt Belisle.  Manny Corpas still recovering from Monday's relief effort of Jason Hammel.  What a mess!  
• Ball four to Upton was the same spot as strike three to Tulowitzki.  It's just one of those days.  
• Belisle gets a DP grounder to get in the dugout.  
• Chip away!  Carlos Gonzalez solo HR.
• Another Marvin Hudson call goes against the Rockies.  Mora called out for interference.  
• New score: D-Backs 6, Rockies 1

3rd Inning

• Matt Belisle goes 1-2-3 again.  See, Mr. Smith, if you just trust your damn stuff it's not always difficult.  
• 21 outs to work with.  Chip away!
• Kris Benson loads the bases with no outs and then leaves the game with an injury.  I think it's possible he's just waving the white flag.  Either way, battle of the bullpens.  :)
• Tulowitzki greets Leo Rosales with a 2-run double.  Keep chipping!
• Goznalez with a sac fly to first base... seriously... Helton scored.
• Olivo singles home Tulowitzki.  More chipping needed. 
• Matt Belisle puts the Rockies ahead... 2-run double.  I can't make this stuff up.  Keep chipping!  
• Standing O for the O.  Need more pitching.  
• New Score: Rockies 7, D-Backs 6

4th Inning

• Matt Belisle 1-2-3's them again.  More offense is necessary.  
• Dexter Fowler leads off with a HR.  My goodness.
• Melvin Mora with a HUGE 2 out, 2-run single.  Can't understate how big that is. 
• EY Jr.s walks with the bases loaded.  Easy RBI.   
• Another standing O for the O.  Now we needed another 0.  
• New score: Rockies 11, D-Backs 6

5th Inning

• I love how Jim Tracy takes the question they ask him between innings and makes it last.  No sense preparing a followup question.  
• Arizona tees off starting the 5th.  Back-to-back doubles Abreu and Upton.
• Big hand for Matt Belisle as he leaves.  D-Backs have 1st and 2nd with no outs.  Ball game far from over today.  
• Matt Daley takes over.  Throws a pickoff attempt into CF eliminating the DP.  
• Base hit by Young.  Oh boy.  
• Dexter Fowler with a web gem to save Daley's ass for now.  
• Daley punches out Hester.  Need to start the chipper again.  More offense!  
• Vazquez settles in for a 1-2-3 inning.  This one just has an icky aura surrounding it.  
• New Score: Rockies 11, D-Backs 9

6th Inning

• Rockies stretching Matt Daley out for a second inning.  Almost have no choice in that matter.  
• Big 1-2-3 inning for Daley.  Settled in nicely. 
• I hate when the Rockies bats go to sleep in the late innings.  I know they did amazing work to get back in this game, but damn, need to keep adding.  

7th Inning

• A third inning for Matt Daley?  Eeeeeeeeee.  
• A strikeout of Upton and a walk to Reynolds is how Daley finishes.  Not a bad effort at all.
• Joe Beimel headed in and gets the 0 on the board.  Well done.
• Offense:  More runs... that's not optional, that's a mandate.  
• And the offense is officially snoring.  Aaron Heilman with a 1-2-3 inning.  Always tough to turn it back on when it goes into shutdown mode.  

8th Inning

• Raffy comes in.  It's 2nd & 3rd with one out.  I don't feel well.  
• Johnson RBI groundout.
• Crowd is dead silent.  They probably feel as nauseated as I do.  
• And the game is tied.  That was a single for Abreu.  
• I'm not lying.  Offense... seriously, score more runs.  Like 2-3 of them.  
• The awful Arizona bullpen had retired 12 in a row until that single by CarGo.  Not pretty.  
• On to the 9th all tied up.  Here comes Franklin.  
• New Score: Rockies 11, D-Backs 11

9th Inning

• Morales plunks Reynolds leading off.  
• And now a one out walk to Young.  Painful to sit through this.  
• Another walk.  Just go throw up in your shoes now.  
• Thanks to a BIG Christmas gift from Marvin Hudson, Arizona doesn't score.  
• Wow.  
• Rockies offense still fast asleep.  One baserunner since the 4th?  

10th Inning

• Morales stays in to serve up a HR to Kelly Johnson.  
• And Dan Haren pinch-hits a single.  
• 1-2-3 go the Rockies in the 10th.  
• New Score: D-Backs 12, Rockies 11
• *Swears off keyboard*