Well, at least after the uninspired first three innings that left them trailing 3-0.
4th inning on, beautiful baseball.
Winning Players: Marco Scutaro, Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki - (Combined 6-for-12, HR, triple, double, 6 RBI, 7 runs and 2 walks)
This was how Dan O'Dowd drew it up at 2-3-4 during the offseason. Then, before he knew it, his plans were changed when Jim Tracy moved Scutaro to the leadoff spot. Scutaro never got comfortable in that spot... or so it seemed, but appears to be settling back into the second spot nicely. Which of course means he'll be leading off all weekend in Cincinnati.
Oops. Sorry. I'm trying to be positive tonight. No more cheap shots until Friday at the earliest.
In addition to Scutaro's productive (3 runs) night, CarGo and Tulo were the offensive forces they're paid to be, each delivering the type of at-bats needed to be productive in the situation presented to them.
For CarGo, that included setting the table (along with Scutaro) by drawing a walk ahead of Tulowitzki's RBI double in the 4th. Jason Giambi and Michael Cuddyer followed with equally productive sacrifice flies.
In the 5th, Gonzalez singled home the tying with two outs. Troy Tulowitzki followed that by taking TWO pitches, working himself into a favorable 2-0 count, and then he connected on the game-deciding three-run home to deep left center.
Highlight of the Night: Watch Troy Tulowitzki's big home run
And then again in the 7th, Gonzalez hit an absolute missile off the center field wall for a two-out, RBI triple.
I don't know what got into either guy tonight, but it was nice to see both reel themselves in a bit, slow the game down, and not allow the moment to overwhelm them as it has at many critical times this season. It's a positive step for both of them, and it's greatly appreciated by me.
