Rock Solid Recrap: Officially Running Out Of Original Thoughts

Pirates 9, Rockies 6 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: The Rockies jumped out to a 3-0 lead after one inning (thanks to home runs from Dexter Fowler and Carlos Gonzalez) and a 5-1 lead after two. That should be good news. However, the Rockies trailed 6-5 after three innings. And then they trailed 9-6 after five.

I got five words for you: Jeremy Guthrie and Jim Tracy.

Jeremy Guthrie's Line: 2 2/3 IP, 6 R (4 ER) 6 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 68 pitches (46 strikes)

A Jordan Pacheco error didn't help matters (unless your main concern is Guthrie's ERA), but the Pedro Alvarez solo home run and the Garrett Jones three-run jack had already taken place, so it's not like the error  began the unraveling. It's just a continuation of a season long unraveling for Guthrie that shows no signs of correcting itself.

Matt Reynolds' Line: 1 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 H, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR, 29 pitches (20 strikes)

I understand what Matt Reynolds role is. He understands it as well. I just don't know that is suits him very well or that you should try squeezing a third inning out of him unless it's a desperation situation. Maybe today qualifies, I don't know, but he did well to escape the 3rd inning. He was fantastic in the 4th. And then that 5th inning comes around and he just didn't have much left it seemed.

I know the pitch count was good, and I know he's thrown multiple innings before, but I think it has to be different warming up, coming into the middle of an inning, and then being asked to warm up, throw another inning, warm up again, throw another inning. That's why we've often seen Tracy use a reliever simply to finish an inning and then he goes to the piggyback/bridge guy to start the next clean inning. I think not going that route proved costly today.

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Rock Solid Recrap: Pirates Don't Mind Stealing, Will Also Take What They're Given

Pirates 6, Rockies 2 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Like I indicated in the headline, pirates make a living stealing, but the ones from Pittsburgh didn't have to tonight. This win was furnished for them, free of charge. 

Some of the bigger issues for the sloppy Rockies on Tuesday night:

— The inability to finish innings on the mound and capitalize at the plate against the often injured, always overpaid Erik Bedard. More to come on these.

— Wilin Rosario had another awful night behind the plate with his league leading 12th passed ball and a costly wild pitch allowed. Obviously there's a long way to go in his development, but there's no sense taking playing time away. He has to learn on the job. But you're still allowed to cringe and not like it.

— Down four runs late, Jordan Pacheco inexplicably attempts to advance to third on a groundball to third base. He was tagged out easily, killing a scoring opportunity.

— In the 9th, Carlos Torres made a lousy throw to second on what should have been a double play. Rockies end up getting no outs (thanks to the throw and a missed call). Amazingly, that one didn't lead to a run, but still maddening.

As small as many of those miscues appear to be, there's no way you're going to win at this level when you make that many of them in one game. Especially against this Pittsburgh team that executes well under Clint Hurdle and does a wonderful job of getting the most out of the least. Not to mention it gets increasingly difficult to watch with each passing game, because you expect to see some improvement somewhere along the line. It just never happens. And just when you think it's about to, it disappears.

Turning Point: Rookie Josh Rutledge triples home the go ahead run in the 4th. I wish I could say that was the turning point. Unfortunately, though, it was the Rockies inability to bring Rutledge home (there were no outs) that started the shift in the game's outlook. Christian Friedrich struck out looking. Eric Young struck out looking. Marco Scutaro flied out harmlessly to center field.

That was the start of it. In the top of the 5th... well... keep reading.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs Pirates 7-17-12

Monday's Recap: Embracing The Drama

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (35-54)

1. Eric Young Jr. (RF)
2. Marco Scutaro (2B)
3. Dexter Fowler (CF)
4. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
5. Michael Cuddyer (1B)
6. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
7. Wilin Rosario (C)
8. Josh Rutledge (SS)
9. Christian Friedrich (P)

Alright, well, now we have Dexter Fowler hitting third, and I must say I'm a lot more intrigued by this move than I was hitting Pacheco third. I mean, ultimately I think that's the spot Carlos Gonzalez should hit because he's the best hitter on the team, but there's no doubt Fowler has been the next best hitter (and provides more pop than Pacheco) pretty much all season, so I can actually see this arrangement sticking awhile.  

More roster moves... Jonathan Herrera (shoulder) and Chris Nelson (irregular heartbeat) hit the DL today. We wish them both speedy recoveries (especially Nelson). On the way up are infielder D.J. LeMahieu (who played respectably in his earlier stint) and outfielder Andrew Brown (who is hitting extremely well in AAA). Brown should fill the right-handed bat off the bench role and draw a handful of starts. 

Pittsburgh Pirates (49-40)

1. Alex Presley (LF)
2. Drew Sutton (RF)
3. Andrew McCutchen (CF)
4. Casey McGehee (1B)
5. Neil Walker (2B)
6. Pedro Alvarez (3B)
7. Michael McKenry (C)
8. Clint Barmes (SS)
9. Erik Bedard (P)

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

Rock Solid Recap: Embracing The Drama

Rockies 5, Pirates 4 (boxscore)

When you enter play at 34-54, you'll take a win any way you can get it, even if that includes suffering through an hour long delay in the 9th inning, blowing a 4-1 lead in said 9th inning through the combined efforts of Rafael Betancourt (credited with a "hold"), Rex Brothers (vultures a "win") and Pedro Alvarez (certified Rockie killer) before ultimately scoring the game winner in a dramatic bottom of the 9th.

It was miserable.

It was painful (especially seeing Jeff Francis lose a much deserved victory).

It was also quite predictable.

It was Rockies baseball at its Rockiest... right up until Dexter Fowler's sacrifice fly clinched them victory #35 (Yes, I was expecting Wilin Rosario to slip on a wet spot 80 feet down the line).

I'll take it.

Winning Player: Jeff Francis: 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 1 K, 73 pitches (42 strikes)

Solid contributions from a number of players tonight (Dexter Fowler, Wilin Rosario, Josh Roenick, and even Eric Young Jr. and Jason Giambi off the bench), but Francis is simply rolling right now and deserves the nod.

Every fourth day you know you're getting at least five innings from Francis, which under our current system is like a guaranteed eight innings every fifth day. He's pounding the strike zone. He's putting up zeroes. He's also bringing a small bit of stability to a rotation that needs a lot of it, but what any little bit is definitely appreciated.

Keep it rolling, Francis.

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Lineup Card: Rockies vs Pirates 7-16-12

Weekend Recaps

Friday: Rockies Rookies Roll Over Phillies
Saturday: Rockies Gonna Rockie
Sunday Snoozer

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (34-54)

1. Dexter Fowler (CF)
2. Marco Scutaro (2B)
3. Jordan Pacheco (3B)
4. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
5. Michael Cuddyer (1B)
6. Tyler Colvin (RF)
7. Wilin Rosario (C)
8. Josh Rutledge (SS)
9. Jeff Francis (P)

Well, Jim Tracy is trying something new again with Jordan Pacheco hitting third and Carlos Gonzalez slipping down to clean up. I give this experiment three games.

In other news, Juan Nicasio is out for the season after undergoing microfracture surgery under his left kneecap to remove bonechips. Nothing but bad luck for him over the last 12 months. 

Pittsburgh Pirates (49-39)

1. Alex Presley (LF)
2. Josh Harrison (RF)
3. Andrew McCutchen (CF)
4. Casey McGehee (1B)
5. Neil Walker (2B)
6. Pedro Alvarez (3B)
7. Rod Barajas (C)
8. Clint Barmes (SS)
9. Jeff Karstens (P)

Andrew McCutchen is still my favorite non-Rockie in baseball and there's not a close second right now. He was just named National League Player of the Week, he's the hottest hitter in baseball since early May, and if MVP votes were tallied this evening, he'd probably win it. He's been that damn good, and if his tear continues against the Rockies this will be a difficult series to win.

Pedro Alvarez has been a Rockies killer before. He also comes to town swinging a hot bat lately, so this really could be a long week. 

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Rockies Settle For The Predictable Doubleheader Split

Before you go any further, check out the Game 1 Recap. That was the good one. 

Pirates 5, Rockies 1 (boxscore)

What Went Wrong: Plain and simply, the offense stunk today. They were lucky to scratch out the win in Game 1 behind the wheels of Eric Young Jr. and the arms of Juan Nicasio and Esmil Rogers, and they followed that up with another feeble effort in Game 2 against Charlie Morton. That's not to mention getting nothing last night other the CarGo home runs.

I know this Pittsburgh staff has pitched lights out so far, but man, the Rockies offense has to find a ways to put pressure on the opposition. The Pirates offense is lousy to be sure, but at no point in this series were they ever in danger of being put out of the game. That made life easier on manager Clint Hurdle in terms of handling his pitchers, and it allowed their bats to peck, peck, peck, in search of one or two big hits, not three or four.

That's a BIG difference for them.

That's a BAD series loss for the Rockies.

Turning Point: This is easy. What should have been two harmless flyball outs to end fifth inning in a scoreless tie, ended up breaking the game open for Pittsburgh as Carlos Gonzalez lost both of them in the sun. The unlucky — He was wearing sunglasses! Not good ones, but still  — misplays would lead directly to Pittsburgh's first two runs. Garrett Jones and Pedro Alvarez then followed with back-to-back home runs, sealing the W for Morton.

Jhoulys Chacin's Line: 5 IP, 5 ER, 8 H, 2 BB, 5 K, 2 HR, 98 pitches (62 strikes)

It's unfortunate all of the runs charged to Chacin were earned (the lost balls in the sun are not errors), but it's not like he was sharp today, either, so don't feel too bad.

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Quick Game 1 Recap and Game 2 Lineups

Rockies 2, Pirates 1 (boxscore)

Winning Player: It probably feels like Juan Nicasio deserves the nod here, but how about the bounce back effort from Esmil Rogers?

Called upon in the eighth inning with a one-run lead, Rogers not only accepted the challenge from Jim Tracy, but owned it by striking out the Pirates 2-3-4 hitters. A dominant, emphatic and damned impressive shutdown inning when the Rockies desperately needed one. Also, our short relievers take a pounding when things go poorly, so why not pat them on the ass when they come up big?

Well done, Esmil.

And well done by Matt Reynolds (got his one batter) and Rafael Betancourt (1-2-3 ninth for his sixth save).

Turning Point: Eric Young's wheels have been changing games all month, and that's what happened again with the game tied at 1 in the eighth.

With one man already out, the speedster reached base on a hit by pitch. Marco Scutaro directly followed that with a single through the hole on the LEFT side created by Clint Barmes cheating towards second (looking for an EY steal attempt), which allowed Jr. to move first to third without hesitation. That set up Tyler Colvin, who hit nothing more than a medium pop fly to right field. But that's all EY needed to score from third and give the Rockies the lead.

Watch EY get down the line for the win

Just that simple. That just quick.

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Lineup Card: Rockies @ Pirates 4-25-12 (Game 1)

Last Night's Recrap: Rockies Killer B's Kill Rockies

A real quick look at the Game 1 lineups while I have a moment.

Colorado Rockies (8-8)

1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
2. Tyler Colvin (CF)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
5. Jason Giambi (1B)
6. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
7. Wilin Rosario (C)
8. Chris Nelson (3B)
9. Juan Nicasio (P)

Pittsburgh Pirates (7-9)

1. Alex Presley (LF)
2. Jose Tabata (RF)
3. Andrew McCutchen (CF)
4. Neil Walker (2B)
5. Casey McGehee (1B)
6. Pedro Alvarez (3B)
7. Clint Barmes (SS)
8. Michael McKenry (C)
9. James McDonald (P)

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Rockies Killer B's Kill Rockies

Pirates 5, Rockies 4 (boxscores)

This one stings... probably more than an April game in Pittsburgh should sting, but the Rockies had this one in their grasp for 90% of the evening and just couldn't finish it off. And coming in front of tomorrow's doubleheader, the sting only intensifies. As I said earlier today, it's difficult to sweep those things, so a series win just became increasingly less likely.

Not impossible, mind you, but less likely.

What Went Wrong:  Whenever there's a devastating late inning loss, you know the bullpen played a part in it somehow. It's unavoidable, and tonight's unfortunate goats were the recently struggling Rex Brothers (0 outs recorded, 2 runs, 1 smoked double, 1 blooped double and 1 walk in the 7th) and the usually reliable Matt Belisle (2/3 IP, 1 Clint Barmes home run, 1 painful error of his own leading to 1 unearned game-winning run in the 8th).

Each man was working with a one-run lead thanks to a Carlos Gonzalez two-run homer, so their margin for error was little. And as you can tell, neither had anything resembling their best stuff tonight, so both leads quickly vanished.

Thankfully, not a lot gets to Matt Belisle, so you can count on him to bounce back in his next outing. As for Brothers, it's been a struggle for the past 3-4 outings, so his immediate outlook is a little shakier.

Maybe a lesser role is in order until he can locate his filthy stuff again and gain back some confidence he's surely lost in his two most recent outings. The Rockies are absolutely going to need him, so he's not going anywhere. It doesn't matter how down on him fans are right now, he's the most talented arm they have in the bullpen and the most important. They need to get him on track.

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Lineup Card: Rockies @ Pirates 4-24-12

But first... check out Sunday's series winning Recap in Milwaukee

Lineups

Colorado Rockies (8-7)

1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
3. Carlos Gonzalez (RF)
4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
5. Todd Helton (1B)
6. Michael Cuddyer (RF)
7. Ramon Hernandez (C)
8. Chris Nelson (3B)
9. Jamie Moyer (P)

The Opening Day lineup is back in play with everybody's bumps, bruises, sore throats, yips and damaged toenails — Warning: Nasty Photo Here — close to being 100%. 

Pittsburgh Pirates (6-9)

1. Alex Pressley (LF)
2. Jose Tabata (RF)
3. Andrew McCuthen (CF)
4. Casey McGehee (1B)
5. Neil Walker (2B)
6. Yamaico Navarro (3B)
7. Rod Barajas (C)
8. Clint Barmes (SS)
9. Kevin Correia (P)

Meanwhile, this is Pittsburgh's lineup. And it's not good.

The Rockies need to jump on these guys with some early offense, get a solid outing from Moyer, and take this first game ahead of tomorrow's doubleheader. Because as we know, unless you're playing at Citi Field against the Mets, it's tough to sweep those things.

So yes, that makes this an oddly important April game in Pittsburgh.

Seriously.

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

Rock Solid Recrap: Ubaldo?

Well, there's no way to dance around the issue at hand with Ubaldo Jimenez. His struggles right now are shocking on some levels and very frightening on many others. Mostly because nobody seems to know what, if anything, is wrong with him.

(If the Rockies have any suspicions they surely aren't saying anything.)

I hate to speculate in any direction, but I can't help but wonder if the cuticle is still weighing heavily on his mind. Like he's afraid to really dig in for fear of ripping the thumb open again. If so, that would help explain the lack of command, because it's extremely difficult to command the baseball when you're not gripping it properly.

It would make sense given the reoccurring nature of the injury. But the next issue would be if he's not using the right grip, is he leaving himself open to injury another way? The Rockies need to keep a close eye on all these factors.

But the most important thing is Ubaldo has to be honest with the Rockies. If there is something bothering him, whether it be mental or physical, he needs to tell them. They can't keep running a guy out there who's incapable of helping the team. I don't care what success a pitcher has attained in the past, they have to make decisions with their short-term and his long-term future in mind.

By the way, this is why you don't see teams handing out big contracts to pitchers after one good season. Not that we Rockies fans needed the reminder.

Pirates 8, Rockies 4 (boxscore)

-- Esmil Rogers had another awful first inning (4 H, 4 ER, 2 BB). Unfortunately his first inning today was the fifth inning, and it pretty much sealed the Rockies fate.

-- But good innings were turned in by Franklin Morales, Matt Lindstrom, Matt Reynolds and Felipe Paulino. So all was not a loss with the pitching staff.

-- Time for the obligatory Todd Helton can still hit comment. Because guess what, Todd Helton can still hit.

-- More good at-bats from Dexter Fowler. Excellent at-bats. Two hits, two RBI, a walk and a run. Where would the offense be without him? Seriously?

-- And I think that covers today. Rockies get yet another off day tomorrow before opening up in Arizona on Tuesday. Hopefully the start of a third straight winning road trip to open the season.

Lineup Card: 5-1-11 Rockies vs Pirates

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.

Yesterday's Recap: One great outing and one big swing

Colorado Rockies (17-8)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. 2B Alfredo Amezaga
3. 1B Todd Helton
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. LF Carlos Gonzalez
6. RF Seth Smith
7. 3B Jose Lopez
8. C   Chris Iannetta
9. P   Ubaldo Jimenez 

The Alfredo Amezaga Era (Part 2) is underway. Good day off for Jonathan Herrera though. Even with the two day break you could see he was a little behind on some pitches and not completely the guy we saw earlier. That's the concern with a guy his size. Wouldn't surprise me if they're aggressive in getting him more days off going forward.

Pittsburgh Pirates (12-15)

1. CF Andrew McCutchen
2. LF Xavier Paul
3. RF Garrett Jones
4. 2B Neil Walker
5. 1B Lyle Overbay
6. C   Ryan Doumit
7. 3B Pedro Alvarez
8. SS Ronny Cedeno
9. P   Charlie Morton

Don't underestimate Charlie Morton. He seems to have turned a corner this season and is pitching up to the potential Pittsburgh traded for and has been waiting for a couple years to see.

Rock Solid Recap: One great outing and one big swing

The wonderful thing about great pitching and great defense? It affords a struggling offense the opportunity to slowly get itself back on track, while still winning baseball games. That's where the Rockies stand right now. They are pitching the hell out of the ball day in and day out, and the defense has been legit.

I mean seriously, what the hell has gotten into Seth Smith? He was a decent defender in previous years. He has been outstanding in 2011. Ryan Spilborghs can't even in the game as a defensive replacement anymore.

Watch Smith's running grab

Anyway, you still need the one or two big hits (or a couple breaks) every night to make that pitching and defense stand up. The Rockies didn't get it last night. They did get it tonight.

Rockies 4, Pirates 1 (boxscore)

And they got it off the bat of Chris Iannetta, who thankfully decided to offer at a 3-1 pitch from Paul Maholm that was begging to be hit a long ways.

Watch Iannetta's three-run bomb

What has frustrated so many Rockies fans with Iannetta has been his unwillingness to let it fly. Too much patience. Sure the walks are great from your #8 hitter. They mean something when you can turn your lineup over. I get that. But Iannetta isn't your typical #8. He's not Ronny Cedeno or Jamey Carroll. He's a masher. He's an extra basehit machine when he's going.

So it was nice to see him open up in that spot. It was a game-changer, and ultimately a game-winner. Now hopefully he allows himself to be a game-changer more often.

-- Is it just me or was Jason Hammel at his very best tonight? It seemed like he made every pitch he needed to make when his back was against the wall. He racked up three big double plays. The only guy that beat him was Andrew McCutchen, and in case you haven't heard, Andrew McCutchen beats everybody.

Yeah, that sounds pretty good. And so what if Hammel needs his defense to play well? There's no shame in that. Just keep backing him with your best defense, Mr. Tracy, and Jason Hammel will keep giving you quality starts. That's a guarantee from Townie.

-- The Rockies have turned 30 double plays and only hit into 12. Good stat, Jimmy Armstrong.

-- I wonder if people realize they aren't nervous about Huston Street. They're actually nervous because it's the ninth inning of a close game and every baseball fan with a pulse gets nervous in that situation regardless of who's pitching.

Well, aside from Yankees fans since 1996 and Dodgers fans from 2002-2004.

By the way, Huston is 10-for-10 now in save opportunities and rolling right along.

-- Rafael Betancourt is rolling now too. It just takes him a while, ya know?

-- Come on MLB.com... no highlights of Helton's defense tonight? Give me a break, would ya?

-- Good to see Carlos Gonzalez leave a dent in the wall with that opposite field double. Wow. He scalded that one. And then he left a dent in the sidewall with his toe later on. That wasn't as good to see. Please stop doing that to yourself!

-- I heard Pablo Sandoval is out 4-to-6 weeks with a broken bone in his wrist. Better bring back the Sad Panda.

But we do hate to hear about injuries to anyone, even a Giant. So hopefully he's able to come back at full strength in late June... of 2014.

Lineup Card: 4-30-11 Rockies vs Pirates

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.

Yesterday's Recrap: Bats Cold. Fans Cold. It's Too Cold.

Colorado Rockies (16-8)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. 2B Jonathan Herrera
3. 1B Todd Helton
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. LF Carlos Gonzalez
6. 3B Jose Lopez
7. RF Seth Smith
8. C  Chris Iannetta
9. P  Jason Hammel

Welcome back to the three-hole, Todd Helton. Sounds like it may be your new home for at least a few days. 

Pittsburgh Pirates (12-14)

1. CF Andrew McCutchen
2. LF Jose Tabata
3. RF Garrett Jones
4. 2B Neil Walker
5. 1B Lyle Overbay
6. C  Chris Snyder
7. 3B Pedro Alvarez
8. SS Ronny Cedeno
9. P   Paul Maholm

Rock Solid Recrap: Bats Cold. Fans Cold. It's Too Cold.

It's always frustrating to drop winnable games against inferior competition. Even more frustrating when the reason is an ice cold offense, and when the fans in attendance are sitting in uncomfortably cold and snowy conditions.

Friday was one of those nights for the Rockies and their fans.

Cold. And frustrating.

Pirates 3, Rockies 0 (boxscore)

It was cold for the Pirates too, and cold for pitcher Kevin Correia. But he handled the cold just fine, throwing strikes and keeping Colorado off balance with his usual assortment of not very special pitches.

Correia located. He located well. But he doesn't throw overly hard. That should play into the Rockies hands, especially in the cold, where power pitchers are death, and especially at home. But for whatever reason, they couldn't catch on to his patterns or catch up to his low 90s fastball.

It wasn't until the 7th inning when Todd Helton lined out to the wall and Seth Smith singled that they had two good swings in an inning. Of course that was after he hit 100 pitches.

It's weird to see the offense struggling collectively as it is now. I mean sure, we've seen this offense struggle many times before. But with Carlos Gonzalez mired in his funk. With Troy Tulowitzki failing to gain traction. And now with Fowler and Herrera cooling off at the top, the offense has nowhere to turn for a spark.

I don't expect it to stay this way for long though. Someone will break through. And then one or two more will follow. It's just tough to see that light at the end of the tunnel after the past 7-10 days of bleh.

But just imagine how panicked we'd be if the record was 8-16, not 16-8. Wouldn't this blog be fun then?

No?

-- Jhoulys Chacin pitched plenty good. He gave up a pair of solo homers and then a third run in the 7th. Most nights that's going to leave him in line for a victory.

-- The Hell?

I don't know. It was just a weird, cold and bad night at Coors Field. Sounds like tonight could be even colder. Hopefully it doesn't get any weirder or uglier on the field.

Lineup Card: Rockies vs. Pirates 4-29-11

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.

The Rockies have recalled Utility player Alfredo Amazaga from Triple A, optioned pitcher Clayton Mortensen, who did a fantastic job in his eight innings, back to Triple A, and designated Alan Johnson for assignment to make room on the 40-man for Amazaga. Got all that?

Fortunately, Ty Wigginton has avoided the disabled list. Whether or not that lasts I don't know, but things seem to be improving enough that it's not necessary.

Colorado Rockies (16-7)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. 2B Jonathan Herrera
3. LF Carlos Gonzalez
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. 1B Todd Helton
6. RF Seth Smith
7. 3B Jose Lopez
8. C  Chris Iannetta
9. P   Jhoulys Chacin

Pittsburgh Pirates (11-14)

1. CF Andrew McCutchen
2. LF Jose Tabata
3. RF Garrett Jones
4. 2B Neil Walker
5. 1B Lyle Overbay
6. C  Chris Snyder
7. 3B Pedro Alvarez
8. SS Ronny Cedeno
9. P   Kevin Correia

Rock Solid Recap: Patient Rockies take series in Pittsburgh

Rockies 6, Pirates 5 (boxscore) 

I've restrained as long as I can. I barely mentioned his name in last night's recap despite how well he played. I can't not give in his full due again today.

JONATHAN HERRERA!

Sure the Jose Lopez three-run blast in the 1st was massive. Absolutely the Jason Giambi 2-out RBI single and the Seth Smith bases loaded walk in the 7th inning turned the game around. But the thing is, neither of those moments happen without Herrera being the glue that held the lineup together and the engine that made it go forward.

Watch Jose Lopez 'Big Mac Smack' James McDonald

Quality at-bat after quality at-bat. Finding a way on base FOUR times (three walks, bunt hit) without hitting a ball safely to the outfield. Rallying from an 0-2 count to draw a walk. Not to mention another fantastic start of a double play that helped Chacin get through his rough 3rd inning.

The Rockies don't win today's game without Herrera. They probably wouldn't win last night's either without him. His third walk of that game started the 8th inning rally.

-- Dexter Fowler was good today and good all series, reaching nine times. Don't overlook that. He didn't give away any at-bats whether they were leading off innings or with two outs. That's how you squeeze out those couple extra runs sometimes that make a difference.

-- The offense drew seven walks today compared to four strikeouts. You'll win a lot of games with that ratio.

-- Pretty uneven outing for Jhoulys Chacin: 6 IP, 7 H, 5 R (4 ER), 2 BB, 3 K

After being staked to a four run lead in the 1st, he just couldn't maintain the focus needed to navigate the early innings. It happens. It's easy to forget he's still early in the learning curve at this level. Most pitchers struggle with that part of the game early in their careers. Heck, Aaron Cook still struggles with it.

Once that lead was completely gone, he really settled in and dominated like we expected him to from start to finish. That gave the offense enough time to scrape together a rally and allowed him to steal a victory.

So yes, it was uneven, but given how he finished and the lessons he can learn from this type of game, I'd say there are more positives than negatives.

-- If I was in charge of crediting wins, I'd give it to Matt Reynolds. He really came in and shut the door on Overbay, Alvarez and Doumit. Three guys that were getting their share of good swings in the last 24 hours. Excellent work.

-- Huston Street showed no wear from Friday's three inning outing today. In total he threw four shutout innings in the series and comes in a very close second to Herrera for series MVP in my book.

-- What's the difference between a Big Mac Smack and a Cold Hard Blast?

-- A lot to feel encouraged about as the Rockies head to New York for another four game series. Shea Stadium/Citi Field/anywhere the Mets call home has been another place where they inexplicably struggle. Maybe this 2011 version can rewrite that history a little bit as well.

Lineup Card: 4-10-11 Rockies @ Pirates

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 and they should be here waiting for you.

Unless it's one of these morning affairs on the east coast.

Colorado Rockies (5-2)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. 2B Jonathan Herrera
3. 1B Jason Giambi
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. RF Seth Smith
6. 3B Jose Lopez
7. LF Ty Wigginton
8. C   Chris Iannetta
9. P    Jhoulys Chacin

This isn't the Rockies strongest defensive alignment. Would be an excellent day for a bunch of strikeouts. Apparently Carlos Gonzalez has caught whatever Ian Stewart had. Stewart himself isn't yet feeling well enough to start, and Todd Helton, while feeling better, is still out of the lineup. 

Pittsburgh Pirates (5-4)

1. LF Jose Tabata
2. 2B Neil Walker
3. CF Andrew McCutchen
4. 1B Lyle Overbay
5. 3B Pedro Alvarez
6. C  Ryan Doumit
7. LF Garrett Jones
8. SS Ronny Cedeno
9. P   James McDonald

Rock Solid Recap: New faces produce different results in tough road win

Rockies 6, Pirates 4 (boxscore)

These are exactly the types of games the Colorado Rockies need to win if they plan on winning their first NL West championship. Not just because tonight's game specifically was a nip and tuck, roller coaster type of affair, but because they lost a similar game last night. Often times in the past those types of losses have led to extended struggles, especially away from Coors Field.

You already knew that. What a waste of a paragraph.

We begin with the story of the night: Greg Reynolds.

Reynolds isn't really a "new face" but he's new to giving the Rockies positive results. That counts.

Me on Reynolds seven hours ago:

"I'm willing to give him another chance. I mean what else can I do? He's going out there. I want the Rockies to win, so I'm hoping tonight's the night he finally impresses."

He impressed. Not to the point where I'm going to beg for him to stick in the rotation when Ubaldo Jimenez returns, but credit goes where it's deserved. He did himself proud. I was crossing my fingers and hoping for five decent innings. He gave Colorado six STRONG innings. Hats off to that.

He still doesn't have that putaway pitch, but if the sinker is working as it was this evening, and if the umpire is giving the low strike, Reynolds can be more than credible. Thankfully those factors came together and things worked out.

-- While Reynolds was a hero on the mound, no doubt Ty Wigginton was the man on offense. His two-out, bases clearing double past a diving Pedro Alvarez was as clutch as it gets for Colorado on the road. He's just the type of professional hitter they need, along with Jonathan Herrera, in the lineup to support Gonzalez and Tulowitzki. Just a fantastic piece of hitting.

Watch Wigginton clear the bags

-- Matt Lindstrom earned his first save in Rockies uniform with Huston Street unavailable after his incredible three innings last night. I wouldn't say it was smooth. Pittsburgh timed his fastball pretty well, hitting two on the screws to center. One dropped for a hit, one was flagged down by Fowler. After a Jason Jaramillo bloop hit, Lindstrom made a big pitch inducing a game-ending double play from Steven Pearce.

-- And not to be overlooked, Seth Smith hit a very important home run that momentarily put Reynolds in position to win this game.

Watch Smith's big fly to right

-- Excellent win tonight. Really good chance to steal a the first road series tomorrow with Jhoulys Chacin on the hill.

Lineup Card: 4-9-11 Rockies @ Pirates

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 and they should be here waiting for you.

Greg Reynolds gets the call tonight in place of Ubaldo Jimenez. What to expect from Reynolds? I have no idea. I just know the Rockies need Reynolds to get eat innings after last night's 14 inning marathon, and I know he's flopped every time the Rockies have given him a chance in the bigs or in the spring.

I'm willing to give him another chance. I mean what else can I do? He's going out there. I want the Rockies to win, so I'm hoping tonight's the night he finally impresses.

Colorado Rockies (4-2)

1. CF Dexter Fowler
2. 2B Jonathan Herrera
3. LF Carlos Gonzalez
4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
5. RF Seth Smith
6. 3B Jose Lopez
7. 1B Ty Wigginton
8. C   Jose Morales
9. P   Greg Reynolds

Pittsburgh Pirates (5-3)

1. LF Jose Tabata
2. 2B Neil Walker
3. CF Andrew McCutchen
4. 1B Lyle Overbay
5. 3B Pedro Alvarez
6. C   Ryan Doumit
7. RF Garrett Jones
8. SS Josh Rodriguez
9. P   Charlie Morton