Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 7 (Boxscore)
Unreal.
Un-freaking-real.
On another crazy, bizarre, cold (and this time rain soaked) night at Coors Field that saw the Rockies struggle (understatement) to battle the elements defensively and ultimately blow a 5-1 lead, Todd Helton came to the rescue again with a breathtakingly dramatic, bordering on Rocktoberish two-out, two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Rockies an exhilarating win over the Diamondbacks.
How exhilarating? My heart is still thumping about an hour later and I don't think I'm having a heart attack.
Todd Helton, ladies and gentlemen. I have a feeling he's won himself a Hall of Fame vote or two over these past 24 hours. If not, the voters can...
Winning Player: Todd Helton.
There are other good choices, like Tyler Colvin, Michael Cuddyer and Eric Young Jr. for example, but there's only one correct choice: Todd Helton.
Turning Point: Several in this back-and-forth beautiful mess of a baseball game. I felt like Jhoulys Chacin picking off Gerardo Parra in the first inning to end that potentially big rally was a huge play that held it's importance right until the end.
Matt Belisle limiting the damage around Troy Tulowitzki's two throwing errors in the sixth was also important.
But the turning point that directly positioned the Rockies for this win was Eric Young's two-out RBI double in the eighth that pulled the Rockies within one. That hit and that run cut off Arizona's string of six unanswered runs, and made everything in the ninth inning possible.
Matt Belisle limiting the damage around Troy Tulowitzki's two throwing errors in the sixth was also important.
But the turning point that directly positioned the Rockies for this win was Eric Young's two-out RBI double in the eighth that pulled the Rockies within one. That hit and that run cut off Arizona's string of six unanswered runs, and made everything in the ninth inning possible.
Highlights of the Night: Of course it also wouldn't have been possible without Colorado's offense before the rain delay. More specifically, the back-to-back home runs of Tyler Colvin and Ramon Hernandez in the second.
The hustle of Michael Cuddyer and well-timed aggression of Dexter Fowler also stole the Rockies a HUGE run in the fourth. If MLB posts that highlight I'll make it a bonus highlight later on. Loved that play.
Jhoulys Chacin's Line: 4 IP (rain shortened), 1 ER, 4 H, 3 BB, 5 K, 64 pitches (41 strikes)
Chacin was much improved from his painful season debut, but still wasn't as sharp or focused as you'd prefer. Case in point, the two basehits he allowed on 0-2 pitches — also allowed a critical hit on a 1-2 pitch — and the sloppy throwing error in the third on a pick-off attempt. To his credit though, he did get focused when he had to and made some good pitches to escape the bases loaded situation he created for himself in that third, in addition to the successful pick-off of Parra ending the first.
All in all it's definitely a step forward (just look at the improved ball-strike ratio). Now let's just hope his steps continue forward.
Screengrab of the Game
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| Mr. Yellow Hat takes one off the chest and his bailing buddy keeps the ball? Not cool! (Fox Sports Arizona) |
More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton
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