Lineup Card: Rockies vs D-Backs 4-14-12

Colorado Rockies (3-4)

1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
3. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
4. Todd Helton (1B)
5. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
6. Tyler Colvin (LF)
7. Ramon Hernandez (C)
8. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
9. Jhoulys Chacin (P)

Wouldn't it be nice if the Rockies could build off yesterday's win, lock this series up early, start their first winning streak of the year, get back to .500 and allow Rockies fans to be to be happy campers for longer than 24 hours?

Yes, yes it would.

But they'll have to do it without Carlos Gonzalez, who sits with what we can now confirm as strep throat. He's unlikely to be available as a pinch-hitter this evening, and his availability going forward will be determined on a day-to-day basis. Chris Nelson also sits tonight for just the second time this season. Tyler Colvin and Jordan Pacheco are the additions.

— The Rockies reinstated Charlie Blackmon from the DL and then immediately optioned him to Colorado Springs where he'll work to get back in shape and then wait for a roster spot to open up. If the first seven games are any indication, however, he may be waiting awhile.

Arizona Diamondbacks (5-2)

1. Ryan Roberts (3B)
2. Gerardo Parra (LF)
3. Justin Upton (RF)
4. Miguel Montero (C)
5. Chris Young (CF)
6. Lyle Overbay (1B)
7. Aaron Hill (2B)
8. John McDonald (SS)
9. Josh Collmenter (P)

This is Arizona's eighth different lineup in eight games, so apparently Kirk Gibson doesn't mind tinkering. And for that matter his players don't mind it either.

  Links

— Last Night's Recap: Rockies Resilience On Display In Comeback Win Heaven & Helton

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Resilience On Display In Comeback Win

Rockies 7, Diamondbacks 6 (boxscore)

I have to say, as encouraging and fun as Wednesday night's hit parade against Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants bullpen was, this performance and result tonight actually made a bigger impact with me.

It's one thing to have a night where everything just clicks offensively and the stats quickly become inflated. It's quite another to scratch, claw and battle all the way back from a 6-2 deficit against a quality opponent — team and pitcher — and then never give it back once you've taken it.

I loved this win. The team owed it to Juan Nicasio after last Sunday. Everybody contributed to the comeback one way or another. No at-bats were given away... especially with two outs. The bullpen was simply lights out.

Bottom line: Resilient effort. Quality win.

Winning Player(s): The Bullpen

Esmil Rogers has been outstanding (damn near perfect) so far in his relief role and that definitely includes tonight's CLUTCH two and a third scoreless. Rogers took over for a scuffling Juan Nicasio in the third, cutting off what had already been a four-run inning. He then ran into trouble of his own  — 2nd and 3rd, no outs — in the fourth, but showed poise and maturity well beyond what we've seen from him in the past by getting through it unharmed with a groundout and two strikeouts.

Rogers then gave way to Matt Belisle, who pitched a clean sixth and then dealt with a two-base Michael Cuddyer error starting the seventh. Yes, all three Rockies outfielders have dropped a flyball within the first seven games, although this one was by far the furthest away from being routine. Anyway, Belisle was unfazed by the situation and left Miguel Montero standing right there.

Rex Brothers would then pitch a rocky but scoreless eighth, ultimately earning the victory. Which leads to...

Betanclock: 8 minutes, 58 seconds was all Raffy needed to convert this tight, one-run save. He's now 2-for-2 on the season.

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