Rockies 18, Mets 9 (boxscore)
Yup. just another one of those nights at Coors Field.
You know...
- 27 runs
- 36 hits
- 7 errors (6 by the Mets - thank you very much)
- 5 home runs (4 by the Rockies including a Ramon Hernandez Grand Slam)
- 12 pitchers (6 for each side)
- 1 Scott Hairston cycle (which comes as no surprise to Rockies fans)
- A 5-RBI inning (Carlos Gonzalez)
- Oh, and 1 catcher's interference on a pitch out. (Watch)
Winning Player(s): So many of them tonight. If forced to pick just one, I think I might actually go with Marco Scutaro for the spark (4 hits and 4 runs) he provided at the top of the lineup. Then again, how do you overlook the big night (and inning) Carlos Gonzalez had? Watch his home run And then there's Todd Helton (3 hits), Jonathan Herrera (3 runs) and Ramon Hernandez (only 1 hit but 5 RBI).
You know, Matt Reynolds and Matt Belisle were pretty damn important as well, each recording at least three outs in relief without allowing a run. (If that doesn't sound like a big deal to you, please start this Recap over.) So honorable mentions to them with a giant hat tip to Belisle for striking out Scott Hairston with a pair of runners on base in the seventh. Big moment.
Turning Point: Of course, if I wanted to narrow it down to one moment, Eric Young Jr. would be the winning player, because once again his speed, hustle, desire, want to, whatever else you want to call it, changed the game positively for the Rockies.
After the Mets had scored four in the top of the fifth to take a seemingly commanding 6-2 lead, Young was summoned to pinch-hit for Esmil Rogers leading off the bottom half. On the third pitch, Young bounced one feebly back to Mets' fill-in starter Chris Schwinden. Now, for most professional baseball players, what follows are 5-6 token jog steps towards first base before taking a left or right turn back to the dugout. For EricYoung Jr., though, it means busting your ass down the line like you just laced one in the gap.
The result: Young's flat out hustle and speed combined with a sloppy throw to first (pulling the first baseman off the bag) and a creative slide (rarely permit those at first base) got him to first base safely.
What it meant: Instead of one out, nobody on, and a dead stadium, the Rockies get the leadoff man aboard, the top of the order coming up, and fans are on their feet in appreciation.
Fourteen batters later, the Rockies had scored 11 runs.
You simply cannot overstate how awesome that play was, what it meant to this win, or really how fantastic it has been to watch Young play these first three weeks. He understands his game/role completely. Just as important, Jim Tracy understands his game/role. And more importantly than all of that, everybody involved has embraced what his game/role is, and it's quickly turning him into one of the Rockies biggest assets/weapons.
Drew Pomeranz's Line: 4 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 5 H, 3 BB, 4 K, 1 HR, 67 pitches (40 strikes)
This performance is difficult to evaluate because we learned shortly after his exit that he was experiencing left forearm tightness. How much of a factor that was we don't know.
If we just go on what we saw, it was another uneven effort that highlighted one big reason the Rockies love Pomeranz — he was consistently getting ahead in the count — and also highlighted an area he needs to improve in to live up to the hype — putting those hitters away once they're at his mercy. He allowed several 0-2, 1-2 basehits on the evening, and a few of those favorable counts were also worked into walks or productive outs.
Ultimately, I think he'll be fine once he makes a few adjustments and starts turning those at-bats into harmless outs, but until the step is made it's not unreasonable to be concerned. But first and foremost let's just make sure he's healthy. Cross your fingers.
Screengrab of the Game
Indeed Dexter Fowler has been a pain in the neck at times this season. Hopefully Keith Duggar can fix that for all of us.
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| (Root Sports) |
Fowler actually collected three hits after this picture was taken, so the neck seems to be just fine. But the unnecessary bat flip after the homer may earn him a bruise later this weekend.
What's Next: The Rockies and Mets offenses will attempt to match Friday's production on Saturday night beginning at 6:10 MT. Guillermo Moscoso (more on that shortly) and Dillon Gee will be assigned the challenge of preventing a repeat performance.
Lots of luck to them.
Final Thoughts: Was very pumped about the Rockies win tonight... and then I saw this.
Second, welcome to the roller coaster ride that is being a fan of the Colorado Rockies. No night could possibly capture all of the highs and lows better than this one.
And guess what? We'll all be back for more tomorrow.
More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton
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