Displaying the fight fans have been begging for, the Rockies came from behind Sunday to beat the Nationals 4-3, winning their first series since June 3rd against the Dodgers.
Well, fight and some good luck that is.
Bad Luck Losers is closer to the Rockies company slogan than Rocktober Winner’s, so when the chips fell favorably it was time to grab the win and head out of dodge before anyone noticed.
Such was Sundays game, one that included an unlikely home-run pinch-hit from EYj (his first HR of the year) and not one, but two wild pitches later and the team was celebrating a Game, Series and Sunday win – the elusive Triple-Crown for the season.
EYj’s home run, his first in almost three years, came in the top of the eighth as the team trailed 3-1. Guthrie was on the hook, despite arguably his best start of the season, going six innings with six hits and two runs on a poorly placed pitch that was clobbered by Ian Desmond in the fourth.
EYj said Dex warned him that reliever Burnett’s outside pitch was really good, so to look for something inside. EYj went on to say,
That’s what I got. He told me that right before I walked up there, so I said, OK. That’s what I got, a fastball inside…And as soon as I got to Dexter, he said, ‘Not a bad scouting report.’
Fowler and Scutaro followed up EYj’s pinch-hit with another couple of hits themselves, Fowler eventually scoring on a wild pitch to tie things up.
Rex Brothers came into the game in the bottom of the eight, stopping the Nats from any thoughts of regaining the lead while finishing with the win.
The top of the ninth was all Jordan Pacheco.
Pacheco, facing the difficult Nat closer Clippard, crushed the first pitch he saw, a 92 mph fast ball, down the left field line for a double. A Herrera sac-bunt and a Clippard wild pitch was all he needed to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run.
So now the team can take some much-needed rest, go home and tune in to watch Carlos Gonzalez represent the Rox at the Home Run Derby (July 9th | ESPN | 6:00 PM) and the All-Star Game (July 10th | FOX | 5:30 PM).
Clarification to the account above. Young hit for Belisle in the 8th. It was Brothers who handled the bottom. He allowed one single, to Michael Morse.
Thanks Jeem, I fixed the write-up. Let that be a lesson to you: post-game write-up at 2:00am needs plenty of proofing in the morning.
I heard that. 2:00 am, when play becomes work…
Boom!
This – “and some good luck that is” … but it is about time some went their way.
Cargo is starting for the National League! Hitting lead off, but playing DH(?) Ryan Braun is playing LF and Cargo isn’t? That’s odd.
I have a real problem with La Russa being the manager of this AS team. First of all, he’s no longer an active manager. Secondly, he’s making decisions on this game that will affect home field in the World Series. If I was the manager of a contending team I would not be comfortable with that. I’d like to hear what Dusty Baker has to say about this. He dislikes La Russa about as much as I do. In my opinion Roenicke of the Brewers should be the manager. I wouldn’t put it past La Russa to intentionally throw this game so his buddy Leyland can have the home field in the event the Tigers reach the WS. I can’t stand either one of them. My two least favorite individuals in the history of baseball.
I’m glad I’ve got that off my chest, I feel better now. Thank you RWO for giving me the forum to vent.
Do you feel a little better today now that it’s over?
Anyone reading the *stuff* on twitter? Conflicting reports on Scutaro.
The ESPN Power Rankings (http://espn.go.com/mlb/powerrankings/_/season/2012/week/14) has a classic write-up about the Giants:
“The Giants’ normally stingy pitching staff did a pretty good impression of Colorado’s pitching staff last week, allowing 13 home runs in a disastrous trip through Washington and Pittsburgh. The Giants head into the break with questions mainly about their bullpen and Tim Lincecum. They’ll need improvement from both if they are to compete with an offense that has been just OK”