Recap: Dodgers 4, Rockies 2 (13 inn.)
Turning point: Joel Peralta, pitching his third inning, gave up a leadoff single to Casey Blake in the 13th, and Andre Ethier followed with his 15th homer of the season to give the Dodgers their major-league leading ninth walk-off win on Peralta’s 39th pitch.
At the plate: The Rockies struck out 17 times, including 13 times in the final seven innings against seven Dodgers relievers. The final 12 Rockies batters were retired, seven on strikeouts. …Ryan Spilborghs hit a two-run homer in the fifth with one out after Brad Hawpe opened the inning with a single. Spilborghs went 34 at-bats without a homer since his last one June 4. …The Rockies had runners at first and third with no outs in the 10th, but Jeff Weaver struck out pinch hitter Carlos Gonzalez, Dexter Fowler and Clint Barmes. Spilborghs led off the 10th with a double and took third on Chris Iannetta’s sharp single to left, which turned out to be the Rockies’ final hit of the 4 hour, 10 minute game.
On the mound: Ubaldo Jimenez gave up four hits and two runs in seven innings, the runs scoring in the fifth with major help from Jimenez. With two out and a runner on first, the Rockies called for a pitch out, but Jimenez didn’t Iannetta a ball he could handle, allowing Matt Kemp to steal second. After intentionally walking Russell Martin, Jimenez was called for a balk as Randy Wolf started to step out of the box and Jimenez halted his delivery. Wolf followed with a two-run single. …Juan Rincon, rebounding from an awful outing Saturday at Oakland, relieved Randy Flores after Flores gave up leadoff double to Ethier in the ninth. Rincon got Matt Kemp to ground to shortstop. After intentionally walking left-handed hitting James Loney, Rincon struck out Russell Martin and pinch hitter Brad Ausmus. …Alan Embree, who also rebounded from a shaky outing Saturday, gave up a leadoff single in the 10th to Juan Pierre, who was sacrificed to second. He stole third with Orlando Hudson batting and had to stay there on Hudson’s ground ball to shortstop. After intentionally walking Blake, Embree struck out the left-handed hitting Ethier.
Numbers game: 4 straight games for the Rockies decided by two runs. They are 18-18 in games decided by two or fewer runs and 11-7 in two-run games.
A really good showing for the bullpen tonight.
I didn’t understand trying to extend Peralta for a third inning. He hadn’t gone past two innings yet this season, and Josh Fogg, who can go multiple innings, never seemed to be a thought in Tracy’s mind.
Once again, had to make a living…so I couldn’t watch or hear the game. But looking at the box score (feel like I’m in the early 1900’s living way out here in Four Corners country), it appears the Rox played a solid baseball game (excpeting the KOs), gave Street a much needed day off, and extended the LA bullpen a bit. Got to look for the good things. Looking forward to catching a bit of tonight’s game.
Speaking of box scores, am I missing something at this well-liked site? Is there a click where I can get that here instead of someplace else, Jack?
Agree with Townie about Peralta. He looked good for the first two innings. This loss won’t sour me on him.
The strike zone as it was being called last night was VERY inconsistent. I do think that had something to do with the high number of strikeouts last night. There were lots of disgruntled hitters as a result.
Tough loss to a good team.
I also am wondering about not using Fogg – maybe Tracy only likes to use him early? Also, not seeing the game, did the 3rd base coach make the right call by not sending Spilly home in the 10th, or did he not get a good jump, or was it just hit too hard?
I hope Marquis has things sorted out. Any news there?
I found a link below for a fundraiser for the Mike Coolbaugh family:
http://www.firstgiving.com/pauldevlin
Today’s article in the “blank” suggested Spilly could have made it.
Pierre had the ball in hand as Spilly hit the bag and, at the time, I think holding him was the right call.
Had we known that CarGo,Fowler and Barmes would all strike out – maybe they would have sent him.
Just to vent – CarGo’s lack of patience can be very frustrating. That was as bad an at bat as you can have it that situation.
Let’s get a win tonight
You have runners on first and third with no outs and you get three consecutive strike outs? You don’t deserve to win with performances like that.
The worst mistake in last night’s game was the pitch to Wolf on which he singled. Jimenez threw him another off speed pitch on a 1-2 count, when heat probably would’ve struck him out.
WillM,
Holding Spilly was the right call. The ball was hit hard and right at Pierre, and even with his weak arm, I think he would have been thrown out.
As for not using Fogg, it’s a tough call. It’s easy to look back and say he should have been used. In Tracy’s defense, Fogg was the last available pitcher. When you don’t know how long the game is going to go, or like he said postgame, if he gets injured in the first inning he pitches, then you’re in trouble.
Marc, I agree with you. Pierre (1) hustled to the ball and (2) quickly got the ball of Rafael Furcal, who has a very strong arm.
To even suggest that Spilly should have been spent is a pure second guess. You are looking at first and third with no outs, CarGo, Fowler and Barmes coming up. The infield has to play in becuase of the sitaution for CarGo and Fowler both have expanded hitting zones.
It seems everytime we have lost lately we have had a lot of strikeouts. Cargo and fowle. Only need to get the bat on the ball and there is a pretty good chance spilly would have scored and I agree with a couple comments that the strikezone was inconsistent and a little annoying there were a couple pitches that were being called every now and then which can be frustrating for the pitcher and batter
“Rockies called for a pitch out, but Jimenez didn’t Iannetta a ball”
Missing a word between didn’t and Iannetta
It was a nailbiter to be sure!! I reside in San Diego, and I’m pretty sure my neighbors think I’m crazy(all the yelling etc). The balk on Ubaldo, ridiculous. Agree with others that the strike zone was less than consistent.
A couple of questions. I don’t understand why Gonzo, Dexter and Barmes didn’t attempt to bunt more with 2 on and 0 outs. If you throw out Spilly at home, you still have 2 outs to play with assuming no DP. Even if a DP you still had one out left. I don’t recall any more bunt attempts to get on after that even with Omar in the game…
Why didn’t he run out Josh Fogg once the 13th rolled around?
Good game against a good team. And the Rockies proved they are equal to the Dodgers. I like our chances tonight!
Go ROX!!
Dave in Bayfield: Scoreboard at the top navigation bar gets you to scores and box scores
Just wondering if people are thinking something similar to what I am. The balk on Ubaldo, after my wife calmed me down, I got to thinking that it may just be a bit of his being young and in a pressure situation?
At first I thought it was a bush-league move on the part of the hitter, but I don’t think so.
Just curious on everyone’s thoughts.
Go Rockies!
As I continue my trek around So Cal, I caught last night’s game at Dodger Stadium, which (unlike “the Big A”) is really wearing quite well. And is now surprisingly less scary than the Big A, where there was a shooting after one of the Rockies games last week. I sat in the first row behind the so-called dugout club, where luminaries such as Jon Lovitz (no kidding, LA people get all excited to see these C list celebs) were taking in the game. The balk cost us the game in retrospect. Not even the Dodger fans could figure out why they called it. The Wolf stepping out thing makes sense, and it probably explains why Ubaldo buzzed a Dodger hitter high and tight the following inning. I’d rather see someone get drilled in the ribs tonight.
Ordinarily with no outs you wouldn’t risk sending Spilly on that play, but in retrospect Tracy had too much confidence in CarGo/Dex/Barmes to get the run home. Most depressing was how absolutely dominant the Dodger pen was. Where did they find Tromcoso and Bellisario? We’d kill just to have one of them. Even Jeff Weaver made it look too easy, so it can’t be all about the pitchers. And yes, the home plate ump had a ridiculously wide and inconsistent strike zone. I stayed till the bitter end, which not a whole lot of Dodger fans did. Depressing how we just can’t seem to beat these guys. I’m done with So Cal … I’m a bad luck charm for the Rox I guess …
After watching last night’s game I think there is one huge difference between the Rox and LA. I think the Rox are just as good as LA right now for the exception of the bullpen. Even though we got to the 13th with our pen, LA had runners almost every inning. Embree is horrible and should only pitch mop up the rest of the year unless we have to use him like last night. To the contrary, LA had runners all night and the Rox couldn’t do a thing against LA’s bullpen. The Rox have Street and that’s pretty much it. Peralta has been good, I don’t blame last night’s loss on him at all. All on Tracy as far as I’m concerned. But I just can’t believe the difference in bullpens. That could be the difference between the Rox making a run at LA.
The balk on Ubaldo…it may just be a bit of his being young and in a pressure situation?
It was a weird play, with Wolf quickly half-backing out and then returning to his stance, so it didn’t strike me as nervers. Ubaldo has seemed pretty cool while pitching deep into close games lately, including making strong fielding plays (remember the throw to third when Stewart couldn’t find the bag?).
Tracy and Jack,
Is there really any possibility or signs that the Rockies will try to get Cliff Lee? He is making $6 mil this year and I’m not sure if he is signed long term.
Jack I personally I would love to see the Rockies pick up Cliff Lee, but I doubt something that great would come along the Rockies paths. They would have to get the Indians to take Atkins plus give up an arm in the minors, possibly Chacin and I am not sure the Rockies are ready to pull the trigger on that.
Last night is just one game, we have to keep that perspective. I do agree with you Mike that the balk while unfortunate was just a weird play, not nerves. Sort of like last years balk ending the game by I believe Buchholz, this one just happened earlier in the game to change its flow. That’s baseball though.
Hope the hitters can make better contact tonight, but it is against Chad B. But, this team must continue to battle the top pitchers and teams as it has to be considered legit contenders.
Tough loss, but like everyone has been saying the Rockies hung with good team and barring a strange play have a great chance to win that game last night.
Holding Spilly was absolutely the right call, if there are two outs you have to try and send him, but with no one out you have to figure that the odds say that one of the next two guys will put the ball in play. Tough break there, but that is baseball. I did like the attempt at the safety squeeze by Fowler.
I agree with having Peralta throw the 13th he has been successful against lefties throughout his career and like Jim Tracy said you have to extend your bullpen with only one usable arm left not knowing how much longer the game is going to go.
Nobody to point a finger at with this loss just the way that baseball goes Dodgers had every break last night. The balk was a biggest one, but also the line drive double play by Atkins.
Marquis and the Rocks will get them tonight!
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