Rock Solid Recap: Obviously The Dodgers Need More Help

That, or the Rockies are inexplicably locked in right now or the Dodgers have terrible timing. These first two games have not even been close.

Rockies 8, Dodgers 4 (boxscore)

Winning Player: Wilin Rosario (3-for-4, 22nd home run., three RBI)

He's officially no longer a rookie hitter. He's a professional hitter and he's getting better all the time. Exciting!

Watch Rosario unload in the 3rd

Andrew Brown also contributed three hits for the Rockies, which establishes a new career-high for him. Josh Rutledge, Jordan Pacheco and Charlie Blackmon each had two hits in the attack.

Turning Point: The Rockies jumped out 4-0 and never looked back in this game. However, the Dodgers did have one opportunity in the 4th where they loaded the bases with no outs against Tyler Chatwood. Chatwood responded by getting a double play ball off the bat of Adam Kennedy. Then, after an intentional walk to A.J. Ellis, Chatwood blew away Chris Capuano to kill the rally. That's how you prevent a turning point!

Tyler Chatwood's Line: 5 IP, 2 ER, 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 80 pitches (51 strikes)

Chatwood worked in the strike zone frequently and again found success because of it. His work in the Kennedy at-bat mentioned above was especially impressive, and the young righty appears to be getting more comfortable dealing with traffic (Miami start aside) and confident in his ability to pitch around it. I remain convinced he'll be a solid contributor in 2013.

Read more »

Rock Solid Recap: Rockies Welcome Josh Beckett Back To The National League

More specifically... Tyler Colvin welcomes Josh Beckett back to the National League.

Rockies 10, Dodgers 0 (boxscore)

Winning Players: All of them. That's about as complete a performance as this team has had all season. And honestly, it's as satisfying a win as you can have in August of a lost season. Beating the Dodgers in Beckett's debut and in dominant fashion? Hell. Yes.

Special mentions are definitely in order for Tyler Colvin. Not only did he greet Beckett with the mammoth home run, he also played a big role in breaking the game open with a two-run 8th inning triple.

Another key contributor was Chris Nelson (single, double, triple, three runs scored) with the bat and with the glove. He started a huge double play on Matt Kemp that snuffed out the Dodgers 8th rally attempt.

D.J. LeMahieu (two hits, two RBIs, great double play turn) and Jonathan Herrera (three hits) also get hat tips.

Watch the Rockies turn a big DP

Turning Point: Jim Tracy made a logical managerial move. I swear to it. He made a logical managerial move in the 6th inning when he pinch-hit for piggyback/hybrid reliever Josh Roenicke in a run scoring opportunity, and I'll be damned if Josh Rutledge didn't come through with a pinch-hit RBI single to extend the lead and the inning.

This might not just be a turning point in a baseball game. It could be the turning point in all our lives.

Watch Josh Rutledge deliver

Oh, right, then Matt Belisle hit for himself with two runners on base in the 8th and struck out bunting. But I guess the Rockies were out of players by then or something. And then the Rockies scored six more runs inning and it didn't matter. Fun times!

Jeff Francis' Line: 5 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 1 BB, 6 K, 91 pitches (56 strikes)

Josh Beckett was the talk going in but Jeff Francis stole the matchup with his outstanding five-inning performance. Of course I emphasized five innings there because that's a big deal for a Rockies pitcher. And you know what's an even bigger deal? Jim Tracy allowing Francis to reach 91 pitches despite being in a jam in the 5th. It's a good thing he did, too, because Francis finished the outing in style with the nasty 60-something mph curveball that struck out Shane Victorino.

Loved it.

What's Next: The Dodgers series continues on Tuesday night at 6:40 with a slightly less interesting pitching matchup. For the Rockies, it'll be the young righty Tyler Chatwood (3-3, 4.98). For the Dodgers, it'll be the crafty and surprisingly effective left-hander Chris Capuano (11-9, 3.37).

More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton