Rock Solid Recap: That'll Do

This isn't the BCS.

Style points aren't necessary here.

Who you beat, how you beat'em, where you beat'em and why you beat'em don't mean a damn thing.

Win a baseball game.

The Colorado have won nine of them... in a row.

All fun has broken loose in Denver.

Rockies 2, D-Backs 1

Tonight's game was a perfect illustration of just how focused, confident, and red hot the Colorado Rockies are as we head towards September 12th. These are the games the Rockies were allowing to get away for the first five months of the season. The ones we said we'd look back at in frustration if this season didn't improve.

Well, it has improved, but we still run the risk of having those games bite us in the ass. That is why not allowing this one to get away was ultra important. That counts double when it's Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound.

It was an odd night for Ubaldo. He really never seemed to find a comfort level or real rhythm out there. The command was off. The efficiency was less than desirable. But in the end, the results were solid enough to keep his struggling offense in the baseball game.

Yes, I said struggling offense. Yes, Ubaldo was outpitched by Rodrigo Lopez. Yes, it doesn't matter, because the Rockies found a way to win.

It came down to four really productive at-bats in the bottom of the 7th

1. Melvin Mora pulled a single to left on an 0-1 pitch. 
2. Ryan Spilborghs drove a 1-0 pitch to the oppo gap for a double. 2nd and 3rd one out. 
3. Miguel Olivo broke the ice for Colorado with a first pitch RBI single through the left field. 
4. And then the AB of the game from Jonathan Herrera. A sacrifice fly to deep center on a 1-2 pitch.

Again, what Jonathan Herrera gives the Rockies simply can't be measured in stats and charts. I spoke of style points at the top. There are no style points with Johnny. All he does is produce, make his team better, and give them a better chance to win baseball games by simply doing what's asked of him and understanding his role.

Yeah, you need your CarGo's and Tulo's and Helton's to have success. But what separates winning teams from losing teams are guys like Johnny.

Really all four guys involved in that inning (Herrera, Spilborghs, Mora and Olvio) fit the mold of role players who make the team better by understanding their role and excelling at them. Really is a nice mix of guys that all fit together perfectly after the release of Brad Hawpe.

Funny how that works sometimes.

Tomorrow

Jhoulys Chacin vs Ian Kennedy

Time to go 1-0 and see where the chips fall by Sunday night. Gotta like your chances with Mr. Chacin taking the hill.