Just one day after a Father's Day beatdown at home, at the hands of the Detroit Tiger ace, Justin Verlander, the Colorado Rockies took out their frustrations with a one-run win over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field Monday night. Justin F Verlander handcuffed the Rockies on four hits in a 9-1 complete game for his ninth victory of the season (against just three losses). The only offense of note for Colorado was a fifth inning solo home run by 3B Ty Wigginton. The Tigers avoided the series sweep by pounding starter Aaron Cook (0-2 on the season) for 8 hits and 4 runs in six innings of work. Left handed reliever Rex Brothers faced three batters, all three scored in the seventh, in a very forgettable experience for the rookie from Tennessee. Clayton Mortensen pitched the final 9 outs, giving up back-to-back solo shots to RF Brennan Boesch and 1B Miguel Cabrera in the ninth. The loss capped off a so-so 6-4 homestand as the Rockies headed out on a 7-game road trip that takes them to Cleveland, the Big Apple and Chicago.
The Rockies arrived in Cleveland Sunday night accompanied by numerous fathers of Rockies players and staff. An idea germinated by the late Keli McGregor and promoted by the Colorado Rockies organization, the team invited players-dads to join the team at Father's Day festivities at Coors Field, and onto the road trip. They all wore football jerseys of choice for the plane ride to Cleveland in a joyful celebration and tribute to Keli and Rockie dads.
Though it rained Monday, game time weather was a warm 76 degrees and humid. The humidity would factor into the one-run win in a big way 3 hours later. The Rockies picked up a half-game on the idle San Francisco Giants and Arizona Diamondbacks with the 8-7 win over the Indians. This game featured numerous lucky breaks for Colorado, uncharacteristic of their fortunes in most of the 36 losses to date in the 2011 season.
The game began with a single and stolen base by CF Carlos Gonzalez. A bloop one-out single by 1B Todd Helton advanced Gonzalez to third. SS Troy Tulowitzki stroked a single to left that drove in CarGo with the Rockies' first run. A sparkling defensive play by Indians first baseman, Carlos Santana (on loan from the nearby Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame), off the bat of Rockies right fielder, Seth Smith, prevented a much bigger inning. But, the Indians responded in the bottom half of the first with three runs, on a three-run blast over the right field wall by DH Travis Hafner, his 6th of the year. Colorado's designated hitter, Jason Giambi, would answer in the Rockies' 6-run fifth inning with a 3-run blast of his own, as Colorado took a 7-4 lead after their 5th inning rally. The 6 runs all came after two outs were recorded by the Indian starter Fausto Carmona, like Ubaldo Jimenez, expected to be, after last season, to be the ace of the staff.
Wigginton and rookie LF Charlie Blackmon both grounded out to start the fifth. C Chris Iannetta coaxed a walk off Carmona, innocent enough. At home in Denver, the pitcher would be due up next, which is why Iannetta is amongst the league leaders in walks. Only three players in the National League have more walks than Iannetta's 42, Cincinnati's Joey Votto (56), Milwaukee's Prince Fielder (47) and Cubbie Carlos Pena (43). Cardinal comeback player-of-the-year candidate Lance Berkman also has 42 walks this season. Anyway, an innocent base on balls to the #9 in the lineup, followed by consecutive singles from Carlos Gonzalez and 2B Chris Nelson to load the bases. Todd Helton walked (1,225 times in his career) to drive in a run. Then, a lucky bounce, one that usually happens TO the Rockies. Tulowitzki tops a ground ball down the third base line that 3B Orlando Cabrera was about to gobble up and step on third to easily force out CarGo to end the inning. But, on its last bounce before reaching Cabrera's glove, it glanced off the side of the third base bag, caroming into foul territory down the left field line. Any batted ball that touches either the first or third base bag, is a fair ball, much as the "foul poles" in left and right are in fair territory. Tulo sheepishly, but happily, pulled into second base with a two-run double, tying the score at 4-4. Up came Giambi, who cranked a 3-1 fastball 440 feet into the Indians' bullpen for a 7-4 Colorado lead, his 7th of the season, 6th on the road, 3rd 3-run blast and 18th RBI.
The Indians scored two in the bottom of the 5th to keep it close at 7-6. In the eighth, the Rockies scored an unearned run as Indians C Lou Marson attempted to pick off Chris Iannetta at first base, his throw sailed into right field and Charlie Blackmon scored all the way from second with the crucial, fortunate 8th run. In the Indians' 8th, Carlos Santana strummed a one-out single to left, and Rafael Betancourt relieved reliever Matt Reynolds, who had relieved Matt Lindstrom (the eventual winner), who had replaced Rex Brothers, who had origally relieved starter Juan Nicasio, who had left with the bases loaded and two outs in the 5th inning. A starting pitcher must complete 5 innings to qualify for a winning decision, he doesn't have to even get one out to be saddled with a losing decision. Back to Betancourt, who then struck out Orlando Cabrera as Santana stole second. 2B Cord Phelps singled to center, driving in Santana, and as CarGo threw towards the plate, Phelps continued toward second. Tulo cut the throw and relayed to Nelson at second to attempt to cut down Phelps, who would have represented the tying run. Here's where the Rockies got lucky again. Second base umpire Sam Holbrook had been out toward center to observe CarGo's fielding of Phelp's single and was positioned to the centerfield side of second base when Tulo's relay to Nelson arrived at the same time Phelps came sliding headfirst into the bag. Video replays show that Phelps reached the base before Nelson's tag was applied to the sliding Indian, but from Holbrook's vantage point, Phelps was out, inning over. Bullet dodged.
In comes Colorado closer, Huston Street. open the bottle of Tums. Pinch hitter Travis Buck flied out to left on the first pitch, so far, so good. CF Grady Sizemore clocks a down-the-middle-of-plate hanging slider from Street into the humid night. It would have cleared the auxiliary scoreboard at Coors Field and Street himself was asked after the game if he thought the ball hit by Sizemore was a game-tying home run. "Absolutely," he replied, "A hundred percent." Two outs. Next up, LF Michael Brantley, who scorched an inside Street offering toward Todd Helton, luckily. He gloved the screaming one-hopper off the infield dirt and jogged to first base, unassisted for the last out. Twenty-first save out of twenty two opportunities for Street, leading the National League.
Luck has to play a big part in any 162-game season, and if Monday's game against the Indians is any indication, maybe, just maybe, these Rockies can reel in the Giants. Only three games back, their record back to .500 at 36-36, 19-19 at home, 17-17 on the road. Not exactly where they wanted to be on June 20th, but back in the hunt with a Posey-less San Francisco squad and an awakening Rockie lineup. Not to mention, Lady Luck smiling on our fair Rockies.
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