Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Rock Solid Recap: Caught us a fish: Hook, line drives, and Cook's sinker

Alright, so we know the Rockies are maddeningly incompetent against some very pedestrian pitchers. They've also proven to be dominant at times this season against some of the lower-tier front of the rotation starters -- like a Jaime Garcia, whom they've pounded twice, and now tonight against Ricky Nolasco, whom they had never defeated before in six decisions.

That's why I don't bet on baseball.

Actually, I don't bet on anything, but if I did, baseball wouldn't be it.

Rockies 12, Marlins 5 (boxscore)

The Rockies pounded Nolasco for 11 hits and 11 earned runs in three innings. That's one of the uglier lines in the game this season. But the Rockies did benefit from a couple Marlin defensive lapses early. With two outs and the bases loaded in the first, Chris Nelson hit a dribbler that Nolcaso couldn't glove and Emilio Bonifacio couldn't charge fast enough.

Prrrroooobably should have been an out. Wasn't for them.

The next batter definitely should have been out, but the line drive flyball off the bat of Chris Iannetta was misjudged in center by Mike Cameron. Three runs scored there, and the Rockies were in the driver's seat.


Lineup Card: 8-17-11 Rockies vs Marlins

Link
Colorado Rockies (57-67)
  1. CF Dexter Fowler
  2. 2B Mark Ellis
  3. RF Carlos Gonzalez
  4. SS Troy Tulowitzki
  5. 1B Todd Helton
  6. LF Seth Smith
  7. 3B Chris Nelson
  8. C   Chris Iannetta
  9. P    Aaron Cook
Florida Marlins (57-65)
  1. SS Emilio Bonifacio
  2. LF Bryan Petersen
  3. RF Mike Stanton
  4. 3B Greg Dobbs
  5. 1B Gaby Sanchez
  6. CF Mike Cameron
  7. C  John Buck
  8. 2B Jose Lopez
  9. P   Ricky Nolasco
Tonight's question: How many triples will Bryan Petersen hit? 

Lackluster Recrap: Live by solo home runs, get beat by a solo home run

Yes, the Colorado Rockies came out swinging on Tuesday night, connecting for four home runs! Of course three of those (Troy Tulowitzki, Seth Smith and Carlos Gonzalez) home runs were solos, with only Jason Giambi's too little, too late home run in the ninth being a two-run shot.

The Florida Marlins only hit one home run. That too was a solo blast off the bat of Mike Stanton. It ended up being the difference in the game. Why? Because the Marlins found other ways to score thanks largely to Bryan Petersen's 2nd and 3rd career triples. In case you're keeping track at home, all three have come in this series.

I'd also like to point out that Peterson and Emilio Bonifacio, Florida's 1 & 2 hitters on the evening, finished with five hits, two runs and two RBIs. The Rockies 1-2 punch of Dexter Fowler and Mark Ellis finished 0-for-9 with six strikeouts. Thats difficult to digest in a one-run loss.