Well, I was embarrassed last night. Most people who know me know that I am a diehard Rockies fan, and last night was their time to shine on national television, but they choked. I am a firm believer in ESPN’s East coast bias, and I was hoping to prove that the Rockies could hold their own; but instead they got shutout (again), losing 7-0. 

Mark Redman did not pitch his best. He only pitched three and 1/3 innings and gave up eight hits and five runs. The Rockies need to get some healthy pitchers. It was hard to watch Redman as he struggled every at bat. Ryan Speier made his way back to the big leagues but didn’t help out much; he gave up two hits and two runs in one inning pitched. Matt Herges, Luis Vizciano and Brian Fuentes all pitched an inning and shutdown the Mets but it was little too late. 

The offense was absolutely dormant last night. Although it was better than the night before last’s one hitter. The Rockies ended the night with five hits and NO RUNS. Seriously they couldn’t score in eighteen innings in New York. Brad Hawpe went two for four and Joe Koshansky got his first hit that wasn’t a homerun, but no one could bring them in. It was pretty pathetic, I stopped watching after the seventh inning. 

Last night could have been a way for the Rockies to get noticed and get some recognition, but they blew it. I am hoping that the All Star break will help get the team geared up and ready to get back in this. Right now the team could use a couple days to regroup and get ready for the four game series against the Pirates this weekend.

After the first game I was thinking hey, the Rockies are back! But after last night I held myself back and realized they have a long way to go. Last night the Rockies lost 7-3 to the Brewers. It was one of those games that they could have easily won, but couldn’t bring in the runners. 

Mark Redman started for the second time since Jeff Francis was put on the DL. He didn’t look as bad as the score did. He pitched five innings and gave up four runs on five hits. He made one mistake to Braun who took advantage and homered scoring three runs. His pitches looked good, but he just didn’t have the run support. 

After coming off of a huge fourth of July weekend the Rockies seemed to have used up all their hits. There wasn’t a lot of offense in last night’s game for the Rockies. Garrett Atkins was the only player on the team who had two hits raising his average to .311. Matt Holliday kept his hitting streak alive with one hit last night, it was this 11th straight game with a hit. But other than that there really wasn’t much. In the early part of the season the Rockies were having trouble with scoring runs and I am hoping this was just a one night deal, and they have it out of there system.

The bullpen also needed some help. Matt Herges, who usually shuts down the other team, struggled last night. He thew for one and 2/3 innings and gave up three runs on two hits. Before Herges gave up the three, the Rockies were only down one. It should have been tied at that point, but when the bases were loaded and Yorvit Torrealba hit a ball down the right field line, Ryan Spilbourghs pulled up rounding second and stopped at third in obvious pain. It was later reported that Spilbourghs strained an oblique. 

Injuries have really been plaguing the Rockies lately. With Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki and Francis on the 15 day DL, Jeff Baker out for a couple games with a wrist problem and now Spilly out for awhile, the team is starting to look like the Sky Sox. I don’t know who the strength and conditioning coach is, but something isn’t working. Earlier in the year Holliday, Brad Hawpe, and Tulowitzki were all out with quad problems. The Rockies need to keep their team healthy in order to pull ahead in the NL West. 

They are going against the Brewers ace (well at least he was there ace before Sabathia) Ben Sheets tonight. It would be nice to see another win for the Rockies at Miller Park, we need all the away wins we can get. 

ROCKSTAR of the game: GARRETT ATKINS

Well, I wasn’t on time to the game tonight because, of course, one of the only Rockies games that starts at 6 had to be the day that I work until 5. I do not like to show up late. I missed 2 of the Rockies 6 runs. But I guess in the end, late or on time, it turned out ok; the Rockies won 6-5 in a nail biter. 

Since Jeff Francis was put on the DL Mark Redman was given a second chance. He did a pretty good job for not having started in a couple of months. He pitched six innings and gave up two runs on six hits, and only walked one batter. Redman was in control tonight. 

The Rockies weren’t in control the entire game though. They were down in the second but answered right away at the bottom of the inning with a Jeff Baker homerun. He has really proved himself as a major leaguer lately and I think the only Sox he will be seeing this year is the White Sox. Another run came in, in the sixth. But knowing the Rockies I knew that no lead was safe -see Fuentes Blows Another One- and the Marlins came back with two run homerun in the eighth. The Rockies were down one and needed a run to keep the game going, and they got it in the bottom of the eighth. Clint Barmes lead off with a little blooper hit over the shortstop and Matt Holliday followed with another blooper just beyond the reach of the left fielder and shortstop. The runners advanced off of a wild pitch with Baker at the plate, and with a long fly ball Baker got a sac fly to tie up the game. 

The score stayed 4-4 until the eleventh when the Marlins got a run off of a two out hit. Once again the Rockies answered. Yorvit Torrealba  walked and then what would have been a Scott Podsednik sac bunt ended up with him on second and Torrealba on third from a throwing error. With a man on second and third Troy Tulowitzki walked to load up  the bases. Omar Quintanilla tried to advance the runner on third but he grounded to the second baseman, who then thew home to get Torrealba with the first out of the inning. With the bases still loaded Ryan Spilbourghs saved the day with a big hit out to left center; Podsednik and Tulowitzki scored to win the game. 

As I waited for the fireworks tonight, I saw some things that you can’t see on TV. First, well I guess you can see this on TV, Spilly got shaving cream in the face during his TV interview. Second was all the players’ children playing on the field, and I recognized Holliday’s kids. His youngest, Ethen who is a little over one, was carrying around a bat and then proceeded to hit it on the ground and get into a stance and swing. He looked like a real ballplayer. Lastly the fireworks, Coors Field knows how to put on a good fireworks show.

I am sure as a birthday present America would love a Rockies win, so tomorrow they will go for win number two against the Marlins. 

ROCKSTAR of the game: RYAN SPILBOURGHS

The Colorado Rockies scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals but the problem was they needed atleast four to send the game into extra innings.  Back to back doubles by Chris Iannetta and Clint Barmes scored three runs but with Brames on second base Jeff Baker flied out to center field to end the game with the score 6-5.

I will give the team credit for coming back and atleast making the game intersting in the last inning.  They showed a little bit of emotion out there atleast.

Mark Redman got pounded on the mound as he only pitched 2 2/3 innings.  Redman got pulled after giving up nine hits and five runs very quickly in the game.

The Rockies bullpen did a great job after coming in for Redman however.  Jason Grilli pitched 3 1/3 innings and only allowed one hit.  Manny Corpas tossed two innings and allowed four hits and one run. (What else is new), Ryan Speier pitched the ninth inning and allowed one hit but no runs.

The Rockies are now 12-21 on the season.  I just don’t know if they have what it takes to go on a nice 10 game winning streak at this point in the season and get back to the .500 mark.  What do you think Rockies fans?  Rockies Blog

The Colorado Rockies lost at home on Monday to the Philadelphia Phillies by a score of 9-5 putting the Rockies at 9-10 for the series.  The Rockies bullpen just couldn’t stop the Phillies in the eigth and ninth innings as the Phillies put up five runs in the final two innings of the game.

Mark Redman opened up the game for the Rockies pitching for five innings giving up six hits, four runs, and no walks.  The Rockies brought in Matt Herges, Taylor Buchholz, Brian Fuentes, and Micah Bowie to pitch the last four innings with Buchholz picking up the loss putting him at 1-1 for the year.  Bucholz gave up two earned runs, and Bowie gave up three earned runs.  Bad performance by Bucholz and Bowie.

All five of the Rockies runs came off of home runs.  Yorvit Torrealba hit a three run home run in the second inning and Garrett Atkins hit a two run shot in the fifth inning.

The Rockies will face off against the Phillies one more time again tonight at home for the 2nd game of the series.

Rockies Blog

The Colorado Rockies didn’t open up the 2008 season at Coors Field how they had planned as they got smoked by the Arizona Diamondbacks by the score of 8-1.  Great pitching by Micah Owings and a lot of hitting by the Diamondbacks put the Rockies in a hole right from the beginning.

Mark Redman got the start for the Rockies but only lasted 5.2 innings while giving up nine hits and four earned runs.  The rest of the Rockies pitchers didn’t do that good either as Matt Herges, Taylor Buchholz, and Manny Corpas all threw one inning and gave up one earned run each.

The only offense the Rockies could mustar was a solo homerun by Todd Helton in the 7th inning.  Other then that the Rockies offense was pretty bad and held down by Micah Owings and the rest of the Diamondbacks pitchers.

The Rockies will try to even the series tomorrow as they have Jeff Francis going against Brandon Webb.  It should be a very good game with both teams ace’s starting the game.