Winning on the road is never easy, but it doesn't have to be impossible either.
Unless you make it impossible.
Tonight we saw the formula to making it possible.
- Get superstar performances from your superstars.
- Get a well pitched game from your starting pitcher.
- Play near error free defense.
- Get solid contributions from 1-2 role players.
Point-by-point recap
Superstars
Carlos Gonzalez is growing up with each series, each game, each AB, each pitch even. You can just see it happening. The smarter approaches. The less violent swings on the road. The silky smooth reads and reactions on defense.
He's not just a guy with 5 tool ability, he's a top end up player in each category. And he's only going to get better.
Troy Tulowitzki with his third consecutive three-hit game. I'm not always a big fan of comparisons, but one people like to make with Tulo is Derek Jeter. Mostly because Tulo grew up idolizing him.
Well this stretch is the type of baseball Jeter was famous for in his prime. Stepping up, putting streaks like this together when his team was down. Being a leader and a captain. Only I'll say this... I think Tulo has more raw ability than Derek Jeter even did. Tulo can mix in the crazy power with legit Gold Glove defense.
Starting Pitching
Quality outing from Jason Hammel. Kept his team in the game and was honestly one good pitch away from being brilliant, which is the new MO for Hammel. One pitch separates a good start from a great start, solid from good... right on down the line to his now rare bad to average outings.
That's a far cry from where he was earlier this season, when it was a series of pitches and events that would avalanche on top of him causing irreparable damage. I wouldn't put his improvement in the same category as Ubaldo's, but it is still significant. From a #5 to at least a #3, with the ability to go a little higher.
Defense
It was essentially error free defense. I can't penalize the whole team for one poorly thrown ball by Melvin Mora. Much better defense tonight and much better focus in the field.
Role players
A really good game by Dexter Fowler. You can almost mark it down every time he gets on base, he finds a way to score.
And Clint Barmes steps up with three hits tonight. Those were noteworthy not only because he scored a big run, but also because each time he reached, he helped turn the lineup over. Fowler led off four different innings. Excellent game for Barmy.
That's that. A win on the road. Even with all those things it wasn't easy, but it never will be. You have to earn it. Tonight it was earned.
Tomorrow
Jorge De La Rosa vs Ross Ohlendorf
Earn it again!