Rockies stranded by sloppy defense, missed chances
The Colorado Rockies handed the second game of their series to the Los Angeles Dodgers with a sloppy fourth inning that allowed all three of the Dodgers’ runs in their 3-2 win to score.
With no score in the game, Rafael Furcal started the fourth inning with an easy fly ball to left field that Ty Wigginton dropped, allowing Furcal to reach second. Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin then issued a four-pitch walk to Andre Ethier. Both runners scored on a double to right-center by Matt Kemp. After a groundout by Aaron Miles that moved Kemp to third, he scored on a sacrifice fly that second baseman Mark Ellis caught in shallow right before a charging Ryan Spilborghs tripped him up, preventing any chance of a play at the plate.
Two of the three runs were unearned and Chacin was otherwise solid, allowing just three hits and the one walk while striking out two in six innings. Chacin retired nine of the first 10 batters he faced and left the game for a pinch-hitter in the top of the seventh inning after throwing just 85 pitches.
The Rockies bullpen allowed just one more hit, a seventh-inning single off Rex Brothers, and Rockies hitters outhit the Dodgers 8-4.
Three of the hits were produced by Dexter Fowler, was 3-for-5 with three singles and scored the Rockies’ first run in the fifth inning. Eric Young Jr. scored the Rockies’ other run in the seventh inning after a pinch-hit infield single. Todd Helton drove in both runs, Fowler with an RBI single and Young with a groundout to first. As a team, though, the Rockies left eight runners on base and were 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, including 0-for-3 by Troy Tulowitzki who grounded out with runners at second and third in the first, struck out with runners at first and second in the fifth and grounded out with Fowler at third in seventh.
This season is a mess!! You win by good pitching and good offense and defense… They have got to stop talking the talking and walk the walk.. O’Dowd and the Monforts look like fools if they dont put a stop to his now.. They need wins and now!!!
With the exception being Wigginton’s error, that was actually a pretty good game.
If Helton is going to be the only one who can hit “clutch”, I think we’ll have to take “a good game once in a while” for the rest of the season, though.
Nice work by Herrera on the corner. Don’t trade your best utility guy. And was that small ball I saw in the top of the 7th?
BTW: With trade week coming up, what does Root do with commercials that feature players who may be gone? Maybe we’ll get some new ones.
Those were two plays in the 4th that I’d expect my D-League Recreational softball team to make. Wiggy, you hold your glove up above eye level so you can see it and the ball at the same time. And Ellis and Spilly, someone is supposed to CALL it, somewhat ahead of time. These two grievous blunders led to two runs, and the Rox lose by one!
I put a lot of the blame on carney lansford!!! he was supposed to get the team hitting on the road and in crucial situations! he was supposed to develop stewart to be honest he has made him alot worse!
they canot hit at all with risp
and look at Don baylor with the d-backs he has complately transformed there offence letting him go was a huge misatke
“…and look at Don baylor with the d-backs he has complately transformed there offence…”
With all due respect, Sam, what transformed the D-backs offense was getting rid of players who didn’t listen to their batting coach.
“…and look at Don baylor with the d-backs he has complately transformed there offence…”
“With all due respect, Sam, what transformed the D-backs offense was getting rid of players who didn’t listen to their batting coach.”
very well said Doc
Last night’s game was an example of what I’ve been saying most of the year. Wiggy did not drop that ball due to lack of talent. The collision did not occur due to lack of talent. Tulo’s (and others) inability to hit late and close is not due to lack of talent. This team is not ready to play major league baseball and that falls squarely on the manager.
The one thing that last years Don Baylor and this years Carney Lansford have in common in the manager. There is a cloud over this team that needs to be lifted. I don’t really know how O’Dowd evaluates talent in this environment and that worries me. Jim Tracy must go and he should have been gone before the season was lost but the season being lost is no reason to keep him around.
Last Anonymous post was mine.
Ike.
I would vote to clear out Tracy and DOD. I think the GM is as much at fault as anybody for this debacle of a season.
You can’t clean up this mess without taking a very hard, critical look at DOD. He’s held onto players he should have swept, and swept players who could’ve helped this team win. The list is to long to go into, we all know who I’m talking about.
I realize it would be knee jerk to make the major moves this close to the offseason, and do it with any decent perspective. But, major changes are due.
It’s getting very hard to follow this team. I would only hope that the Monfort’s take a close look at the Arizona Diamondbacks for inspiration
Let’s forget this season and plan for the future. I think first and foremost we need a change in management which should include Jim Tracy and his entire staff. Last night after Spilly and Ellis played Keystone Kops Tracy was in the dugout hanging his head. Way to show leadership Jim. I know there are some of you who are Apodoca fans but to me he has to go. He gets the pitchers to a certain level and then they plateau or in most cases regress. We don’t play small ball often and when we do it usually backfires. Part of that is Tracy but some of it most go to the coaching staff (probably here and in the minors). Again the players show no progress. Fowler could steal bases as a rookie. He can’t now.
I’ve been an O’Dowd fan but perhaps we need a change there as well. Frankly I agreed with him in not going after Berkman who I didn’t think could play the outfield at Coors (or anywhere for that matter). But he sure can hit. Wiggy has shown he can hit and strikeout, but his fielding at 3rd is below average and in left he is worse. But he was not suppose to be an everyday player. The Michael Young deal fell apart and from what I have heard it was Texas that kept raising the price after they had agreed on a deal. I’m not sure about that, but also remember that Young has primarily been a DH in Texas. Last I heard the NL doesn’t have a DH.
Circus.