Running Thoughts: Smith vs LeBlanc

Preview

Lineup Card

San Diego opens their broadcast showing highlights of Greg Smith's last outing.

<---- A lot of that from Smith.

1st Inning

• LeBlanc starts off with an efficient 1-2-3 inning.  Would have preferred a run or two to help Smith settle in.  Can't always get what we want.  
• Thank you Tony Gwynn Jr.!  Swings and pops up the first pitch.  
• After a basehit by Eckstein, Olivo guns him out on a failed hit-and-run.  That's right.. help the kid out.  
• And now Gonzalez walks.  Not the worst result in the world.  
• Headley grounds out.  Not a smooth start by any means, but encouraging!
  

2nd Inning

• 6 up, 6 down for Barry Zito Wade LeBlanc.  Lots of ugly, off balance swings in the early going. 
• Scott Hairston has a couple good swings that go foul, so Smith walks him, then turns around and picks him off.  We'll just take the outs.  
• And another walk.  That's three.  Command just isn't there.  
• Smith gets a popup and a strikeout of Torreabla.  Ubaldo is seen taking notes on how he did that.
  

3rd Inning

• LeBlanc has a MUCH wider strike zone than Smith does.  Stewart called out on a ball that was 8 inches outside.  
• Greg Smith breaks up the perfect game with an infield single.  That figures!
• LeBlanc returns the favor by singling off Smith.  
• 5 Padres reached the first time through.  2 hits, 3 walks, 2 outs on the bases, 4 regular outs.   
• Mora drops a liner.  Should have been a double play.  Now Gwynn gets to run instead of the pitcher.  
• That's three scoreless for Smith so far.  Not all pretty, but indeed all scoreless.  Let's get the kid some runs now!

4th Inning

• Rockies load the bases with one out and leave them that way.  Ian Stewart was screwed again on a couple strike calls.  Smith isn't getting those calls I assure you.  
• Padres on the board first.  Jerry Hairston triples to deep left center, scoring Headley from first.  Smith has been playing with fire all night.  Finally catches up.  
• Padres 1, Rockies 0

5th Inning

• Let's wake the bats up already.  Smith is keeping you in the game.  Reward him!  
• Greg Smith leads off with a double.  EY fails to move him over or do anything productive.  
• However, CarGo picks him and doubles Smith to the house.  Good to strike right back.  
• Helton drives in the go ahead run on a hard single to right.  Who needs a home run?  
• Rockies 2, Padres 1
• I often wonder how Todd Helton only has three Gold Gloves.  Plays like the one he just made on Tony Gwynn are what make me wonder.  
• Smith follows that up with his 5th walk.  Sets up Adrian Gonzalez.  
• Mora botches another double play ball.  Runner on 2nd with two outs.  
• So Smith gets through five.  I have to believe his night will be over with a chance to win.  

6th Inning

• Rockies offense quiet in the 6th.  
• Daley hits the first batter.  Kyle Blanks should have hit into a double play, but Mora's turn was painfully slow.  His third time failed DP of the night.  
• And now the bases are loaded.  Matt Daley is off his game a little bit lately.  Not good with how Rafael Betancourt is also struggling.  
• Randy Flores to face Tony Gwynn.  
• Flores gets the out... on a wild pitch to the screen and the deflects back to Olivo.  Blanks out at home. 
• Whew.  

7th Inning

• Another quick and silent inning offensively.  That's great... just keep applying that pressure on the pitching and defense.  
• Now it's Joe Beimel.  Burning through pitchers quickly this evening.  
• Fowler in for Young defensively.  Mora still in defensively.  Why?
• And now the Padres are pecking Beimel to death.  1st & 3rd with one out.  They're going to bust through one of these times.  
• Tulo with the tailor made 6-3 double play.  Keeps Mora out of the equation.  

8th Inning

• Offense: WAKE UP.  Need more runs.  
• I said WAKE UP.  
• Manny Corpas handling the 8th.  Jim Tracy's confidence in him must be soaring.  
• Veanble triples on an 0-2 pitch. Ugh.  
• Tie game.  Sac fly by Jerry Hairston.  
• I'm sure we'll be seeing Heath Bell now.  Great.  
• Rockies 2, Padres 2

9th Inning

• It will be Heath Bell.  Good luck waking the bats up against him.  
• Finally Ian Stewart breaks the slumber with a two out walk.  At least there's a pulse.  
• That amounts to nothing.  So yeah, have to hold them again.  
• Rockies turn to closer Morales in a tie game on the road.  Alright.  Matches up with lefties at least.