Running Thoughts: Rogers vs. Kuroda

Checking in a little later after a Mother's Day gathering with the family.

1st Inning

• Doesn't look like I missed much.  

2nd Inning

• I see Tulo at third with one out.  
• And Ian Stewart is able to sacrifice him home on a flyball.  Good start.  
• Rockies 1, Dodgers 0
• Dodgers showing sound fundamentals as well.  Leadoff double by Blake, moved to third by Martin.  Sets up Blake Dewitt
• Dewitt pops out, but Rogers make bad pitch to the pesky Jamey Caroll, who dumped right in to right field.  Rogers will learns a valuable lesson there.  You have to focus and execute every pitch at this level.  Even the Jamey Carroll's can make you pay in their own way.  It won't be a blast, but a bloop can hurt just as much.  
• Rockies 1, Dodgers 1

3rd Inning

• Feeble looking swings in that inning.  Sometimes Kuroda will do that to you and you don't understand how or why.  
• Wow.  Rogers strikes out Xavier Paul on a fantastic changeup.  Nasty.  
• Ian Stewart with another horrendous throwing error.  Fast runner in Kemp, yes, but slow down and make a big league throw.  
• And now Matt Kemp steals second.  Poor defense opening doors for the opponents again.  Should be 2 out with no one on.  
• Predictably, Ethier knocks in Kemp.  Dodgers take advantage of all Rockies errors.  Been that way since 1993.  
• Rogers isn't sharp by any means, but he's at least making the Dodgers earn it.  Defense needs to back him up.  
• Dodgers 2, Rockies 1

4th Inning

• Tulo smacks one off the base of the wall for a double, CarGo bloops one right over second base to even the game at 2.  
• Olivo with another rally killing AB.  6-4-3.  Just when I was about to compliment the patient ABs the team was having.  
• Rockies 2, Dodgers 2
• The dreaded leadoff walk.  Couple good takes by Martin.  
• Rogers gets three very weak grounders to strand the runner.  Solid poise!

5th Inning

• Rockies hustle their way into 2nd and 3rd with no.  Smith single, 1st to 3rd on a Fowler single, Fowler takes second on a bobble.  
• Casey Blake robs Helton with a diving stab.  Big play.  
• CarGo battles tough, earns a sac fly RBI.  
• Rockies 3, Dodgers 2
• The back and forth continues.  Xavier Paul leads off with a double.  
• Ethier ties it up again.  Ringing double to deep right.  He's a really studly baseball player.  
• Somehow Barmes misses a liner.  Right off the glove.  Dodgers retake the lead.  
• Wild pitch, RBI single by Martin.  
• It's just another replay of every Rockies/Dodgers game in 2009.  
• Feel awful for Rogers.  He wasn't great, but geez, if a couple more plays get made behind him he's probably only allowed two runs right now.  
• Dodgers 5, Rockies 3

6th Inning

• Casey Blake with another Web Gem.  Dodgers winning this one with defense.  
• EY rips a triple down the right field line.  Smith dumps a single into left center.  
• We gots a barnburner.
• A Dodger error helps steal the Rockies a run.  Helton gets a sac fly.  Back and forth.  Poor defense at poor times.  
• Tulo walks, CarGo bounces out on the first pitch.  Maybe learn to take one of those sometimes.  
• Dodgers 5, Rockies 5
• Matt Daley in.  Another leadoff Dodger double.  Jamey Carroll this time.  Pressure right back on.  
• This figures.  Two quick outs after the double, but Kemp just flips one perfectly between Fowler and Gonzalez.  That craps just never ends with the Dodgers.  
• Dodgers 6, Rockies 5

7th Inning

• Vin Scully points out the Rockies are hitting .185 from the 7th inning on.
• Matt Belisle throws the Rockies best inning of the night.  1-2-3.  

8th Inning

• Nothing for Fowler, Helton or Tulo against Ramon Troncoso.  
• 6 up, 6 down for Matt Belisle.  He deserves a win... hint hint... offense.  

9th Inning

• Broxton.
• Odd he blows a save two nights in a row?  
• CarGo with a great AB.  Fouled off 7-8 pitches before singling.  
• Gonzalez out by 4 steps stealing.  Not even close.