Running Thoughts: Cook vs. Richard

Preview

Lineup

Huston Street could begin a rehab assignment on Monday.  That's awesome news.  

The Rockies are getting very close to being healthy, which makes this next stretch of games even more important.  I mean tonight in San Diego.  I mean this weekend in LA.  I mean next week vs Philly.  

You don't want to dig a hole now with these guys on the verge of returning.  Stay afloat, keep the pressure off them when they return, and then get ready to take off in a big way in the middle of the month.

1st Inning

• Leadoff walk by EY.  Let's make that hurt them.
• Fowler follows the walk by striking out.  And then EY is thrown out stealing.  
• 0-for-1 in golden opportunities.  
• Helton and Tulo back-to-back singles.  They really should have had Fowler bunting to put pressure on the D.  
• Gonzalez grounds out to end the threat.  More offensive frustration.  
• Tulo with a Web Gem on Gwynn.  Bare-handed a deflection off Cook's leg.  
• 3 up, 3 grounders, 3 down.  Good start for Cook.  

2nd Inning

• Mora draws another leadoff walk.  Must. Make. Them. Pay.  
• Barmes doubles Mora to third.  Here we go with another big chance. 
• Cook takes strike three right down the middle.  Up to EY.  
• Rockies strand two more.  Frustration overload nearing.  
• Padres are wasting their opportunities.  Leadoff single, two batters later, Kyle Blanks doubles home Chase Headley.  
• Padres 1, Rockies 0

3rd Inning

• Rockies are 1-9 when the opponent scores first.  That needs to become 2-9.  
• Leadoff man reaches again: Fowler single.  You know the drill.  I'm not saying it again.  
• Melvin Mora walks in an RBI.  Defense aside -- he's not a 2B anyway -- he gives us nothing but professional ABs.  
• I'm happy to report that Barmes delivered a clutch 2-run single.  He's come up big this series... when he plays that is.  
• Rockies 3, Padres 1
• Mora begins the third with a throwing error.  
• The error doesn't cost a run but it adds about 6-8 pitches on to Cook's total.  That's important for later.  

4th Inning

• Rockies do nothing.
• Gonzalez singles and Headley walks.  Here comes the Pads again.  
• Bloop single by Blanks cuts it to 3-2. 
• Hairston singles to left, right under EYs glove, runners move to 2nd and 3rd.  Can we please have guys playing the positions they're meant to play.  
• Clayton Richard doubles in two runs.  Can't make this nonsense up.  
• Padres 5, Rockies 3

5th Inning

• The offense is going to have to rally tonight.  Doesn't happen here.  
• Cook labors through another tough, but scoreless inning.  Fairness to all involved, Cook hasn't been very good again tonight.  It's not just the stupid defensive decisions.  

6th Inning

• Pitching change for San Diego.  Mujica takes over for Richard.
• Barmes doubles home Olivo.  He's on fire right now.  Big hit.  
• Smith triples Barmes home!  Sweet.  
• Young and Fowler both strikeout with Smith at third.  Your freaking speed and contact guys can't make contact?  There are so many things on this team that are backwards right now it's not even funny. 
• Rockies 5, Padres 5
• Belisle takes over for Cook, Smith is for Young in left.  Whew.  
• Belisle with the first 1-2-3 inning of the game.  Eventful little game we have going here... no?  

7th Inning

• Tulowitzki doing a lot of reaching and hitting a lot of three-hop grounders to short or third.  
• And there's the 2nd 1-2-3 inning.  Luke Gregerson did that.  
• Belisle leaves with two outs and a runner on first.  Adrian Gonzalez stepping in to face Randy Flores.

8th Inning

• The theme of no late inning offense continues.  More pressure on the pitching staff.  
• Betancourt 1...2...  not quite 3 inning.  Struck out Blanks, got past Olivo, and then Olivo throws it down the RF line.  Unbelievable.  
• Raffy is back... tonight anyway.  We'll call that 1-2-3-4 inning because he deserves that credit.  

9th Inning

• Hell's Bell?  No.
• Heath Bell?  Yes.
• That's a lot worse.  
• Jason Giambi's bat is very slow right now.  Bell blows him away.  
• Nothing.  Bottom 9.  No margin for error.  
• Matt Daley just threw his cleanest inning of the season.  Nice to have a couple guys step up at the back of the bullpen tonight.  

10th Inning

• Another 1-2-3 for the offense.  Same crap, different day.  
• Daley retires Eckstein.
• Franklin is coming to face Adrian Gonzalez.  If this doesn't go well... look out.  
• Walk.  
• Walk.
• Yeah... Morales is cooked right now.  Time for a new role or trip south for a little mental rehab.  
• Manny Corpas saves the day for the moment.  More free baseball!

11th Inning

• 1-2-3.  Why are we stressing so much about the pitching when it doesn't matter if the offense doesn't finish games.  What a joke.  
• Manny Corpas has faith in his offense.  Will give them one more chance to not suck! 

12th Inning

• Ian Stewart leads off the 12th with a solo HR to left! 
• Helton and Tulo both singled, but CarGo approached his AB like it was the 3rd inning of a spring training game.  Just awful  And then Corpas hit for himself and grounded out.  
• Manny Corpas closes the door in the 12th.  Huge win for the Rockies.  Not sure they deserved it, but we'll all take it.  
• Final: Rockies 6, Padres 5