Game Recap: Rockies 3, Royals 0
Key to the game
Jeff Francis pitched 6 1/3 innings and left with runners on first and third. Joe Beimel got switch-hitting Alberto Callaspo to foul out to catcher Miguel Olivo. Matt Belisle came on to face right-handed hitting Yuniesky Betancourt and got him to fly to right. But not before Betancourt fouled off five straight 3-2 pitches in what became an 11-pitch at-bat.
Francis eased out of trouble in the third when Willie Bloomquist singled with one out and stole second. Francis got Jason Kendall to fly to right and Scott Podsednik to ground to second.
Troy Tulowitzki homered with two out in sixth off Kyle Davies, who worked six innings. The Rockies added two runs in the seventh off left-hander Dusty Hughes when Seth Smith doubled, Olivo hit his first triple of the season and Ian Stewart singled.
Other highlights
–The Rockies won for the first time in five games at Kauffman Stadium.
–The win was the first for Francis since Aug. 25, 2008, at San Francisco. In two starts, he has allowed one run in 13 1/3 innings for a 0.68 ERA.
–Dexter Fowler, starting for the second time in nine games, went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, extending his hitless streak to 21 at-bats.
–After going 93 at-bats between his first and second home runs, Tulowitzki’s third homer came 10 at-bats after his second on Thursday at Houston.
–The shutout was the sixth of the season for the Rockies and second in three games. They won 4-0 behind Ubaldo Jimenez with Tulowitzki hitting a three-run homer in the first off Roy Oswalt.
–Todd Helton‘s double in the first was the 516th of his career, moving him past Hall of Famer Joe Cronin into 40th place all-time.
–Manuel Corpas earned his third save in his past four appearances by retiring the side in order in the ninth. He has made six consecutive scoreless appearances totaling 5 2/3 innings and has allowed one hit in that span with no walks and two strikeouts.
Offense is still struggling and I would be mad if we lost again to Cy Young, but I have to say I’m excited about Francis. He hasn’t faced the two best teams in the league or anything in his starts but you still have to give him credit. I’m excited for the fact that if Francis can continue to pitch well(he won’t keep up this pace but we can sure hope for something close) and Cook finds his groove, we will have 3 above average starters. Then you just hope DLR can come back and pitch like he did at the end of last season. The Rox future still looks bright just cuz of their pitching and pitching wins games. The Rox have always struggled to score on the road and always will struggle to score on the road. The offense will turn it around when they get back home. And by the way, 3 runs tomorrow would be an offensive outburst going against Grienke.
UGH, I didn’t realize it was a day game. I assumed they were playing tonight. At least my wife will be happy I won’t be glued to the TV for 3 hours watching baseball. Looks like my night is free, any good movies out right now?
It must be me. I did not watch the game, except for the last inning. Listened to part of the game on the radio. Rockies have won two games this week and those were the only two I didn’t watch. Maybe the Rockies will pay me not to watch. Heck I would do that for the major league minimum.
On a more serious note. Are the Rockies still carrying 13 pitchers? If so why? The need for a 6th starter was three days ago. I’m calling for Herrara only because they need a back-up middle infielder which they don’t have. If they have somebody else bring him up. Minor league stats don’t always translate to the bigs. Both ways. Lots of great minor leaguers couldn’t make it in the majors. And some ok minor leaguers become very good or great major leaguers. Case in point Matt Holiday.
As for facing Grienke pitching tomorrow. Frankly it doesn’t matter who pitches against us. We’re not going to score alot. So hopefully Cook will give up only 1 or 2 and we’ll do ok. Grienke has been pitching like Oswalt this year, very good but he has been getting no support. A win on Sunday will make the road trip at least semi-acceptable.
Rocky went and saw Iron Man 2 today as far as sequels go it was good for the type it was. I also thought the game was going to be tonight. But my wife is thinking it is fair now. So have a good one. ;o)
Glad to see the guys won today and it what looks like and encouraging outing again for Francis.
At first I was a little PO-ed that they bat Smith 6th instead of 2nd, but it worked out, didn’t it? Nice little rally in the 7th. Big hits from the number 4, 6,7, and 8 hitters today.
Have you noticed that when the Rox lose this blog gets about 40 posts, but when they win everyone is too content to gripe? Or maybe it’s just the nice weather….
Good point Miketober, nice to see the team win. How about Krieger’s take today on Fowler? Is it time for Fowler to get time in AAA and call up a right handed bat off the bench for pinch hit duty, or if EY gets healthy in June is he the player that takes Fowler’s spot and Barmes becomes the defensive replacement for him? Barmes has hit 2 hr’s in the last couple of games, but until he starts driving the ball the other way where it’s pitched I don’t see his offense as being back.
Back to Fowler, at only 24, and with his defense, is that enough to keep him up and figure out right handers, that’s about the only discussion I can keep going this morning after Francis’ and the bullpen’s performance yesterday.
Miketober, I was thinking the same thing.
I was at work so i did the DVR thing, no commercials to sit through.
Francis looks very good so far. I agree with anonymous, might not last this level but anything close is a plus. Bullpen strong like bull!!
Tulo is embracing hitting the ball where it is pitched, again a nice controlled swing and the ball jumps off his bat.
Kreiger in Denver Post had a good article abut the Switch hitting of Fowler. Maybe its time to send him down to just hit righty on righty for a few games and scratch the lefty on righty experiment. I don’t know, just a thought.
Fundamentals and small ball may be the only way to beat KC today. Going to be a close one, we need Cook to be “A” game ready.
Go Rox!!!
Karl, you and I were writing the same thing at the same time. Great minds?
I think Fowler is a big league player but he is also young and still learning. If he’s not going to play then he should be sent down. He will never live up to his potential playing once a week in the bigs.
I love Fowler’s defense and his speed. They especially need him in center at home. I think he needs to play everyday and I think he will hit enough to keep him in the line-up. If he’s not playing center, Ubaldo would still be looking for his first no-hitter.
Does anybody know how long EY is going to be out? I think we should give him a shot a 2nd. I’m still amazed that Tracy quit on Ianetta so quickly, seems to be quitting on Fowler and yet Barmes plays everday like he’s a superstar. His glove is good, yet his error cost us a game in Houston and in a game earlier this month (I think it was against LA) he didn’t expand the effort to jump at a liner his right at him and cost us another game.
Rocks will probably win today as I’ll be doing yard work and won’t be able to watch much or at all.
As far as people not commenting after a win, my excuse is that yesterday was a beautiful day and a nice one to enjoy after an afternoon win. Francis seriously couldn’t have come at a better time for the Rockies. They seem to take their cues from the pitchers and if they know the likes of Francis and Ubaldo are up there, the hitters seem a smidgen more relaxed. In the post-game, Jim Tracy made the point that given how poor the offense has been lately, the fact that they still managed to eek out a win here and in Houston against Oswalt, means that things, as bad as they are, could be a lot worse.
I must say I agree. Without the pitching they’ve gotten from some of the starters and some of the guys in the pen, I can’t imagine how far below .500 this team would be. I really want them to put it all together before the all-star break so they don’t have to work as hard to make it into the postseason this year and have some energy left for October.
Speaking of Oswalt, the Rockies would have to give up a lot to get him only for two years, and I don’t know whether he would be interested in waiving his no-trade to come to Colorado, but a play-off rotation that had Ubaldo-Francis-Oswalt? As good as any team could put together.
I would love for the Rockies to get Oswalt, but I think he’d be a luxury and not a need. De la Rosa should come back in a month, and that’d be the equivalent of trading for an ace, provided he’s the same guy he’s been for the past year. I love Stewart, but a trade for Wright is intriguing. Maybe move one of them to second? Anyway, the reason Tracy keeps sticking with Barmes is there isn’t really an alternative, unlike with Iannetta and Fowler. As of right now, anybody you put at second isn’t going to be an upgrade. Olivo was hot to start the season and has played pretty well, which is why he supplanted Olivo. Moving Gonzalez to center doesn’t give you much, if any, of a drop-off defensively (he might’ve caught that ball in Atlanta), and you replace Fowler’s bat with that of Smith or Spilly. I love Fowler, but I think some time in AAA to work on his lefty swing might be good in the long run.
Wayne yes great minds think alike, but lots of great minds mainly on here. Thanks for the good discussions guys!