Rock Solid Recap: 22-22 Never Felt So... Good?

Baseball is a beautiful game when played smoothly and correctly.

Sunday's game was anything but beautiful.

We'll take it old way we can gets it.

Rockies 11, Royals 7

I hate to quote myself, but sometimes it's just necessary.

Sometimes matchups like these are just what the doctor ordered to bust a slump. Maybe the Rockies peck away at Greinke a few innings before finally breaking through with a 3-4 spot.

Or how about 3 spot AND a 5 spot? That'll work?

Winning Player: Jason Giambi

This was a really tough call today. I go Giambi because his three-run HR (highlight) in the third started the avalanche. It was the breakthrough hit the Rockies have been desperately seeking for almost 10 days. He added another RBI later in the game that ended up being pretty important as well.

In total: 3-for-5, HR, 4 RBI for the DH.

For the record: I still hate the DH rule.

Save: Clint Barmes

Really good game for Barmes. Exceptional game. 3 hits, a double, 2 runs, 2 RBI. That's just the offense. He made his typical long run to catch a popfly. Oh, and he was in the middle of FIVE double plays. Maybe some folks will lay off him for a week or two.

And Tulowitzki gets an acknowledgment for being Tulowitzki.  He's catching fire at the dish, and his arm  created a couple outs today in dicey situations.

Aaron Cook: Sink or Stink?

Stunk like garbage. Staked to a 9-0 lead (reminiscent of this day in Chicago) Cook lost command of his entire game. He ended up allowing 13 baserunners (4 ugly as hell walks), while only recording 13 outs. 9-0 lead and he couldn't even get a win.

Esmil Rogers thanks him for that. Rogers allowed 5 hits and 2 run over 2 innings, but picked up his first career win.

As I tweeted during the game, my fondness for Matt Daley grows with each late inning situation he's not invovled in. Today would have been an ideal Daley day around the 7th inning, and he's still wasting away down yonder. Please recall him for Tuesday.  Let Rogers go back to working on becoming a starter for down the line.

So yeah, the Rockies head home with a 3-4 roadtrip. I was secretly hoping for 5-2, would have been happy with 4-3. After staring at the possibility of 1-6, 3-4 looks pretty damn decent.

As does 22-22.

Actually, 22-22 is what it is... pretty damn average.

I would say the Rockies overall play has been far less than average, though, so we can dress up 22-22 a little bit.

Now... here comes a BIG homestand.  But before we get too far into that... let's enjoy a day off.  Talk to you folks again on Tuesday.