Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rock Solid Recap: Boomsticks & Broomsticks

Rockies 9, Mets 4 (boxscore

Not in our wildest dreams could we have imagined the Colorado Rockies winning a series in Pittsburgh, following that up by not only winning that elusive series in New York, but sweeping an entire four game series in New York, including sweeping a doubleheader. That sh... stuff never happens! None of it.

But you know what? When Troy Tulowitzki isn't in the mood to lose. When Jonathan Herrera muscles up for his second career home run. When you get back-to-back solid starts from both Esmil Rogers and Greg Reynolds. When your closer can be awful in a save situation and you still don't blow the game.

When all of those things come together -- you may be a little bit lucky, but -- you're not going to lose.

-- Yes, I said Jonathan Herrera went yard. He turned on a Taylor Buchholz pitch and hit a three-run missile into the right field seats in the 6th inning. That came two batters after Brad Emaus failed to turn the easiest inning-ending double play of life with Jorge De La Rosa running. Dexter Fowler also had a clutch two-out, RBI single which set the table for Herrera.


The reactions of Troy Tulowitzki, Jim Tracy and the guys in the dugout are priceless.

-- Troy Tulowitzki completed his sweep of New York. He became the first player to homer in every game of a series at Citi Field. In case you forgot, this was a four game series.


-- Jorge De La Rosa's day was an interesting one. He did not have much command of anything early on. He left several flat pitches right in the happy zone and New York's right-handed bats made him pay with some good swings, but never could deliver a knockout blow. They would regret that because Jorge collected himself in innings five, six and seven.

In the end his lined looked this: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO, 1 WP. 116 pitches.

Again, considering the way he started that's an excellent line. But on a normal day under normal circumstances I wonder how long Tracy would have stuck with him.

-- Good job by the bullpen -- Matt Reynolds, Rafael Betancourt and Felipe Paulino -- to eliminate any and all drama from the second game. We all needed that little late inning breather, but no one needed it more than Jim Tracy.

-- Todd Helton had three hits. Because he's a freaking brilliant hitter.

-- Carlos Gonzalez waits patiently for Dexter Fowler to catch a flyball in Game 2.


-- Well, the Rockies will be dragged kicking and screaming back to Coors Field for a homestand beginning with the Cubs on Friday. This would be an easy series to overlook coming off this roadie and looking ahead to the Giants coming in next week. Hopefully Colorado can maintain the focus necessary to take care of business.

Rock Solid Recap: If that's the first one...

Just a real quick recap of today's Game 1.

Rockies 6, Mets 5 (boxscore)

-- Carlos Gonzalez got off the home run schneid with an absolute rope into the right field seats.


-- Troy Tulowitzki followed that with a home run of his own. He now has 21 home runs in his last 37 games. I have nothing to add to that.


-- Reynolds was really excellent again today. I can only think of one baseball put in play with any type of authority -- David's Wright double. He had two misjudged flyballs for hits. He had the very definition of a ducksnort RBI single by Scott Hairston. And then there was the slow roller through the spot vacated by Tulowitzki covering second base.

Other than that... nothing. A well deserved win.

-- I'll steal this paragraph from Troy Renck's blog on the Franklin Morales injury.

Franklin Morales can’t escape drama or attention. There are no contrasts with the left-hander. He’s either really good, really bad or involved in a weird play. The latter happened today as Morales injured his right ankle/foot covering first base in the sixth inning of the first game of a doubleheader.

That's exactly how it goes for Morales.

-- But it was a better day for the other Morales... Jose. His first hit as a Rockie was a clutch two-out, two-run double in the 6th. He also had a really solid day behind the plate.


-- Rough day for Huston Street. The good news? It didn't result in a blown save or loss. Matt Lindstrom closed the door!


-- Was Carlos Gonzalez still attempting to nonchalant a flyball he couldn't even see? Looked like it in the first inning. If so, does it get any more stylish than that?

-- If that's the first one... I'm not sure how much hair I'll have left by the end of day. Dark hair that is.

Lineup Card: 4-14-11 Rockies @ Mets (Game 2)

If you're looking for Rockies game lineups and you don't feel like searching all over Twitter or waiting for MLB.com to post them, check back to Heaven & Helton about 60-90 minutes before first pitch. They should be here waiting for you.

Colorado Rockies (9-2)
  1. CF Dexter Fowler
  2. 2B Jonathan Herrera
  3. LF Carlos Gonzalez
  4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
  5. 3B Ty Wigginton
  6. 1B Todd Helton
  7. RF Ryan Spilborghs
  8. C   Chris Iannetta
  9. P   Jorge De La Rosa
New York Mets (4-8)
  1. SS Jose Reyes
  2. CF Angel Pagan
  3. 3B David Wright
  4. RF Carlos Beltran
  5. 1B Ike Davis
  6. LF Scott Hairston
  7. 2B Brad Emaus
  8. C  Mike Nickeas
  9. P  Chris Capuano

Lineup Card: 4-14-11 Rockies @ Mets (Game 1)

If you're looking for Rockies game lineups and you don't feel like searching all over Twitter or waiting for MLB.com to post them, check back to Heaven & Helton about 60-90 minutes before first pitch. They should be here waiting for you.

Unless it's Game 1 of a mid-morning doubleheader in New York.

Colorado Rockies (8-2)
  1. CF Dexter Fowler
  2. RF Seth Smith
  3. LF Carlos Gonzalez
  4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
  5. 1B Jason Giambi
  6. 2B Jose Lopez
  7. 3B Ian Stewart
  8. C   Jose Morales
  9. P   Greg Reynolds
New York Mets (4-7)
  1. SS Jose Reyes
  2. 2B Daniel Murphy
  3. 3B David Wright
  4. 1B Ike Davis
  5. CF Angel Pagan
  6. LF Willie Harris (At least he won't lose one in the lights...)
  7. RF Scott Hairston
  8. C   Jose Thole
  9. P   R.A. Dickey