After losing their last two games in Pittsburgh the Rockies knew they needed to win to prove themselves. After giving up the lead in the last two games the Rox were able to hold on to the lead and end the game with a win, 7-4. 

Aaron Cook has become a pitcher that Clint Hurdle can count on for a good game. Last night he didn’t have his best game, but he came through and kept the Pirates at Bay. He pitched seven innings and gave up four runs on nine hits. He only had one bad inning; the Pirates scored all their run in the fifth. He did get the W, which now puts his record at 14-6.

Last night’s game had some good old Rockies offense, which is key for them when they win. Willy Taveras went two for five, and he needed it. Taveras hasn’t had the best on base percentage for a leadoff hitter. But one thing he does do best is steel bases and last night he got his total up to 48. Garrett Atkins also went two for five and added one to his RBI column. Troy Tulowitzki is making a comeback. He went three for four and got an RBI. He is now above the Mendoza line hitting .241. The difference in the game had to have been Chris Iannetta’s three run homerun in the fifth. He crushed the ball to dead center and put the Rockies in the lead to win the game. 

The bullpen was outstanding. Taylor Buchholz did struggle for a little while but is now back on track. He only gave up one hit in one inning pitched. He has fit in well as the eighth inning set up man for Brian Fuentes. Last night was a save situation for Fuentes, who recorded his 18th save of the season and 103rd save of his career. He now holds the Rockies recored for most saves. Fuentes has stepped up this year and proved himself worthy of the closer position. 

ROCKSTAR of the game: CHRIS IANNETTA

(The Rockies are now looking towards Dodgers, rather than the Diamondbacks, with their new left fielder Manny Ramirez)  

The Rockies ended their eight game losing streak, and they ended it with style, winning 4-0 with an Aaron Cook complete game. He has really shown that he belongs in the All Star lineup in two weeks. It was a total turn around from last night’s tough loss. 

Cook has taken over the position of Rockies ace. Tonight was one of the two complete games he has already thrown this season, second in the NL with complete games; one behind Ben Sheets. After last night’s game, any sort of win would have been an improvement, but Cook came out and threw a complete game. He got 14 ground ball outs and only three strikeouts, but the thing about ground outs is the pitch count is low. He ended the eighth inning only having thrown 69 pitches, and ended the game with only 79. His stellar pitching performance also sped up the game, which only lasted 1 hour and 58 minutes, and MLB should take advantage of this because, I don’t know about you, but I have never been to a football, hockey or soccer complete game less than two hours long. 

All the Rockies runs came in the fifth inning. It started off with a Troy Tulowitzki double and then a textbook sac bunt by Cook to move Tulo over to third. Willy Taveras hit a single up the right field line to score Tulo. During Todd Helton’s at bat Taveras stole second, and then, with Helton on first with a walk and Matt Holliday up to the plate, Taveras stole third. Holliday would eventually get on with Bank’s second consecutive walk. After striking out his last two at bats, Brad Hawpe came up to bat and got lucky with a fielder’s choice, which should have been a double play, with one run scoring and then another run came in off of a shortstop throwing error. Garrett Atkins  doubled in Hawpe, who made it to second off of a stolen base. That one inning was all the Rockies needed. 

Cook only gave up five hits on the night and Omar Quintanilla, who replaced Jeff Baker in the ninth, kept it that way. In the top of the ninth with a hardball hit just out of Helton’s reach, Quintanilla ran over, dove for the ball, got it and shot up quicker than you can say Quintanilla. The ball got to Helton just in time for the out. It was a key play in the game for Cook. 

The Rockies can’t get the sweep tomorrow, but can go for the series win against the Padres. Hopefully tonight’s team will show up and not last night’s.  

ROCKSTAR of the game: AARON COOK

Greg Reynolds got his second win of the season tonight in the Rockies 10-2 win against the Cleveland Indians. He pitcheed 6 innings and gave up 1 earned run on 5 hits with no walks-which he has struggled with. He was looking like a totally different pitcher after his last game against the Giants. He seemed in control and in his element tonight. He wasn’t alone; the rest of the team helped out with some offense and outstanding defense. 

The Rockies got started in the 2nd when, after 2 outs,  Willy Taveras got on first with a fielders choice.  Then came something not many players get the chance of doing; Jeff Baker hit an inside the park homerun. Baker’s ball was hit right on the nose; in any other part of the field it would have been a traditional homerun, but this one hit the deepest part and then bounced off the fence into the middle of no man’s land in left center and Baker turned on the jets and made it into home with plenty of time. In the next inning Brad Hawpe homered and brought in Garrett Atkins for 2 more runs. 

The defense was also on it’s A game tonight. The biggest play in the game came in the top of the 6th when the score was 5-1 Rockies and the Indians loaded up the bases. Reynolds got the first out with a strikeout but the bases were still loaded and the tying run was at the plate. Choo was at bat and hit a screamer in Omar Quintanilla’s direction. Quintanilla backhanded a line drive and fired the ball to Baker and got the double play. It is going to be a webgem tonight if you want to check it out. 

After that great play in the field, the Rockies once again came out with their bats. In the bottom of the 6th they scored 2 runs on three hits. And in the 7th scored 3 runs on 4 hits. It was a night the Rockies should see a lot more of with some major players coming off the DL. Troy Tulowitzki and Clint Barmes are supposed to be heading back to the show after rehabbing in the minors. 

Someone new was welcomed to the big leagues today; Doug Bernier made his major league debut today as a Rockie. The Rockies brought him up from AAA for three games until Tulowitzki makes his comeback. The Rockies made this move at a more reasonable hour than some other National League teams. 

The Rockies are going for another win against the Indians tomorrow. The Indians didn’t seem to have a problem with their pitchers batting today unlike an American League owner who blamed the NL for a pitcher’s injury, but you never know: tomorrow is another day. 

ROCKSTAR of the game: JEFF BAKER

The Rockies 1-0 win today over the Giants was a big one.  Not just because they are in dire need of wins but because the entire team played a part.  The Rockies win when they play as a team. The playoff run in September of last year was spectacular because the team became a family.  Tonight’s win was a glimpse of what could turn out to be another close knit team with playoff potential.

It started off with Ubaldo Jimenez not giving up in the first.  He threw a total of 29 pitches but kept his confidence and got out of the inning unscathed.  Jimenez proved today that he belonged in the show.  In 7 innings he only walked one man and gave up 4 hits.  For a young guy struggling with control one walk is a big deal.  Although he personally didn’t get the W he was a key aspect for the club win.

The defense was some of the best I have seen from the Rockies all year. Willy Taveras, who has been off and onn defensively this year, was definitely on tonight with a spectacular catch in the 6th to give the Rockies the first out of a 1,2,3 inning.  He caught it over the back, reaching out, on the run in dead center field.  Taveras wasn’t the only one playing some defense, for a guy who was drafted as a third baseman,  Ian Stewart has proved that he can also play a pretty good second base, with 8 assists in 7 innings on the night.  His most impressive assist was in the first, with Lewis on second, Winn on first and  2 outs in the inning; with  a ball hit up the middle Stewart ran over and made an off balance perfect throw to get Rowand out at first for the third out. If he doesn’t make that play the score would have been 1-0 Giants in the first.

The defense was perfect tonight while the offense was dormant with the Giants ace Lincecum on the mound. It wasn’t until the bottom of the ninth inning that the first and last run was scored. Brian Fuentes earned his money tonight by getting three outs in the top of the ninth without a run, and earning himself a win which was his first of the season.

In the bottom of the ninth with Garrett Atkins occupying third, off of a walk and single by Brad Hawpe, and then Hawpe on second due to a passed ball, Chris Iannetta stepped up to the plate. He looked at a couple balls go by and then decided to swing, when he made contact the ball went off of his knee and he went down in pain.  It was a scary moment for the catcher who has had one of the best starts to the season on the team, but he finally got up and walked off the pain and made it to first with 4 balls.

The bases were loaded for Jeff Baker who flied out to Rowand in center; Atkins faked going in but made the right decision in going back as a good throw would have definitely caused an out.  Up off the bench then came Yorvit Torrealba who hit a  short fly ball right to Giants left fielder Lewis, who made a perfect catch and quickly threw the ball to Molina who was in perfect position on the plate.  The Ump called Atkins out but forgot to look for the ball that was rolling in the dirt in front of Molina.  Atkins was safe at home. Torrealba didn’t get the RBI but the only thing that matters is the club got the win.

It was an unselfish night for the Rockies that really paid off. They have won 6 of their last 7 games. The Rockies will go for a sweep tomorrow afternoon at Coors Field.

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The Colorado Rockies had the Philadelphia Phillies right where they wanted them until Manuel Corpas blew the save and the game in the ninth inning.  The Rockies were up 6-5 heading into the ninth inning, but Corpas gave up a bases loaded double to Pat Burrell and the Phillies went onto beat the Rockies 8-6.

Jeff Francis pitched seven innings and gave up six hits and four runs. Francis deserved a much better outcome then a no decision but sometimes that is just how it goes.  Matt Herges allowed one run in the eigth inning before Corpas blew the game.

Matt Holliday and Garrett Atkins both hit home runs for the Rockies.  Holliday’s was a solo home run while Atkins was a two run shot.  Both Holliday and Atkins finished with two RBI while Willy Taveras and Jeff Baker both provided one RBI.

The Rockies will now play the red hot Chicago Cubs in a quick two game series.

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