Rockies back in NL West race
De La Rosa helps trim D-backs lead to six in win over Giants
By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News
Published August 26, 2008 at 11:15 p.m.
Updated August 27, 2008 at 8:49 a.m.
Marcio Jose Sanchez © AP
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, left, congratulates teammate Brad Hawpe after Hawpe scored on a single by Ian Stewart in the seventh inning of the Rockies game against the Giants on Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Moment: After Garrett Atkins’ two-run single had given the Rockies a 2-1 lead with one out in the third, rookie third baseman Ian Stewart took a four-pitch walk from Matt Palmer, loading the bases again, and catcher Chris Iannetta’s line, drive opposite-field single down the right-field line, driving in two more runs.
Player: Left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa continued to pitch his way into the Rockies plans for next season. The lefthander allowed two runs, one earned, in six innings. It was his fourth consecutive quality start, and the sixth in his last seven starts. He is 2-1 with a 2.54 ERA in four starts this month.
Stat: 9 wins for the Rockies in 11 road games this month. They were only 18-39 on the road coming into August. They lead the National League with road victories in August.
Drew on Baseball
Scores and statistics
SAN FRANCISCO — First came the decision to put rookie third baseman Ian Stewart into the lineup on an everyday basis and move Garrett Atkins to first base while Todd Helton was on the disabled list with lower-back problems. It was done so the Rockies could see what the future might hold for Stewart.
Then they opted to keep left- hander Jorge De La Rosa in the rotation after they claimed Livan Hernandez on waivers. They were curious about whether they could finally solve De La Rosa’s problems with consistency and be able to include him in their future rotation plans.
Now the Rockies are starting to act like the future might be now. And as disappointing as their season has been, they might actually be primed to make a late-season run at the postseason for the second year in a row.
With De La Rosa turning in another solid effort on the mound and Jason Grilli finishing up for the first save of his professional career, the Rockies knocked off the Giants 7-2 on Tuesday night at AT&T Park.
They have now won four in a row overall and 13 of their past 18 on the road. After losses again by Arizona and Los Angeles, the Rockies find themselves six games behind the National League West-leading Diamondbacks and three behind the second-place Dodgers with 28 games to play.
“Someone asked me about our situation last weekend and I told him we were going to need to win a lot of series,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “But in the clubhouse we approach it one game at a time. It’s a cliché but it makes sense in our situation.”
Grilli worked the final three innings, providing the other members of a beleaguered bullpen a night of rest. It was his 176th big-league appearance, 41 with the Rockies since they acquired him from Detroit on April 30.
Having already claimed their fourth consecutive series win and pulling within eight games of .500 (63-71) for the first time since they were 15-23 on May 11, the Rockies go into tonight’s series finale looking for a road sweep for the second time in their past three road series — and the third time in the past six.
De La Rosa had his problems early. He walked the first two batters in the bottom of the first. He also gave up a run in the second, when Rich Aurilia led off with a double and, after a two-out walk of pitcher Matt Palmer, De La Rosa gave up a run-scoring double to Randy Winn. And he needed 71 pitches to get through the first three innings.
De La Rosa, though, needed only 39 more pitches to get through the next three innings, putting together his fourth consecutive quality start and his sixth in his past seven starts.
“I was talking to someone about (De La Rosa) and he said, ‘Just stop watching the game and enjoy it,’” Hurdle said. “You have to let him paint his own portrait. You have to find a way to separate the emotions from letting him try to work his way through things.”
When De La Rosa first came over from Kansas City, he rarely got out of the jams. Lately, other than a seven-run, 12/3-inning debacle at Florida on July 31, he has been able to keep the emotions in check and the damage has been limited.
“That might be part of his growth,” Hurdle said. “He puts himself in situations and puts his foot down and gets out of them. Earlier, he would get more frustrated with each batter.”
The Rockies provided De La Rosa early support, exploiting Palmer, who was shipped back to the minor leagues after failing to get out of the fifth inning of his third big-league start.
He gave up four runs in a third inning that included walks to Brad Hawpe and Stewart, and two-run singles to Atkins and Chris Iannetta. Troy Tulowitzki delivered a sacrifice fly in the fifth, and Stewart and Tulowitzki delivered run-scoring singles in the seventh.
With four consecutive come- from-behind victories, the Rockies are 24-14 since the All-Star break, having moved ahead of the Giants in the NL West and cutting 21/2 games off the lead of Arizona, which has lost back-to-back games to last-place San Diego.
Hernandez will get the chance to complete the sweep when he starts tonight against a Giants team of which he was a member from 1999 to 2002.
Hernandez, though, has struggled in three starts since joining the Rockies, giving up at least five runs in each game.
“It is an opportunity for him to take a step forward,” Hurdle said.
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August 27, 2008
6:28 a.m.
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kmeissner writes:
Nice! Tulo seems to be back to his old self recently. Keep it up, Rox!
August 27, 2008
7:47 a.m.
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ColoNative writes:
Sounds familiar for Denver sports. Elway always waited for the last 2 minutes to come alive and win. Hopefully the Rox will follow his example.
August 27, 2008
7:57 a.m.
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SLoganSt writes:
Go, Rockies!
August 27, 2008
8:24 a.m.
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wilburM writes:
if only. if only the Rocks had the balls to pitch anyone other than Hernandez tonight. Are Morales, Hirsch, Rusch, et al that bad?
you can tell the team is not taking this season seriously by the rag arms they're throwing out there.
it's a miracle they're only 6 out.
August 27, 2008
9:04 a.m.
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bgeist writes:
WilburM roots for what team? Be a fan. If I wanted negative I could listen to politics.
August 27, 2008
9:57 a.m.
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LiveJive77 writes:
Why the hell can't we play like this during the first two months? 24-14 since the all-star break is great but it might be too little too late...unless.
August 27, 2008
9:58 a.m.
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SDcat writes:
Ohhh boy here we go! ....get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!!! Its gonna be a fun ride!! Go Rockies!
August 27, 2008
10:16 a.m.
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arvada_mark writes:
This must be some of that "upside" we've been hearing so much about in regards to De La Rosa. Also, I think tonight is why we got Livan. This is that bottom of the rotation spot (series finisher) where we've been lacking for, um, well...the last 15 years. ColoNative is right, I'm also having flashbacks of the Broncos from the '80s. Also, Stewy, what a ballplayer. The guy deffinately swings a major league bat. We're still going to need to win 80% of our remianing games. The Rox are 10 games over .500 since the All-Star break, & we've only made up 2.5 games. Last year was the same way, though. Is Manny our closer for the next week?
August 27, 2008
11:23 a.m.
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goofoffgolfer writes:
Tracy: On the rocky mtn. TV network that covers games, you are backgrounded in your cowboy hat, seems as though they don't interview you, or is that not allowed?
Someone with your credentials and love and devotion for the sport of baseball, especially the local Rockies, would be a sure ringer/winner for insight and wisdom.
Do you have any inside info on the why's/wherefore's of Livan Hernandez reason for being given a late season chance? From watching the "replays", it appears his curves or breaking balls are just dropping in the "wheelhouse" of certain batters and thus high number of hits. Also, do you get a sense of the clubhouse energy or camaraderie among the players as they go into the final month/surge of the season? Maybe Sports Editor Forbis could give you some leeway and let you reveal your wealth of perspective? Enjoy reading your thoughts on paper, thanks.
August 27, 2008
11:42 a.m.
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SDcat writes:
DP is reporting Fuentes was put on waivers...Can this be confirmed by RMN? If so, what the....??
August 27, 2008
11:56 a.m.
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rsmarg writes:
Tracy: Any idea on if Casey Weathers will be added to September roster? If so, will it be just to let him see things, or would they actually let him throw? Would they give him a shot in the #5 rotation spot, or use him in middle relief?
Also curious to hear your thoughts on whether Fuentes clears waivers? If he does, any thoughts on where the Rox are looking to move him and for whom?
What's with putting Willy T on waivers? Does that have anything to do with Dexter Fowler, or is he still a year or so away? Wasn't that impressed with his Olympic performance.
August 27, 2008
12:07 p.m.
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Tracy Ringolsby writes:
SDCat, understand that every player on the roster is put on waivers during August. Sometimes players are dealt. More often than not, though, it is done just to make sure all options are open. Tulo, Holliday, Atkins, Hawpe, Iannetta, Cook, they all will go through waivers at some point during the month.
August 27, 2008
12:28 p.m.
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Tracy Ringolsby writes:
Just dawned on me.
Any report of Fuentes being placed on waivers is inaccurate.
Fuentes is on the bereavement list. A player on the bereavement list cannot be placed on waivers.
It's that simple.
Bottom line, though, is just because a player is placed on waivers in August does not mean anything is going to happen. By Sept. 1 virtually every player on the Rockies roster will have been put on waivers.
That doesn't mean they are going to be traded but it does mean that if something unexpected comes up the team that has gotten a player through waivers has some flexiblity.
August 27, 2008
12:34 p.m.
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SDcat writes:
Thanks Tracy for clarifying. I'm not sure if I feel better or worse :)
August 27, 2008
1:15 p.m.
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buffsblg writes:
A few points:
I love the young guys on this team stepping up but why oh why do they always have to wait until August to do this? why is there no apparent sense of urgency until late in the season. I am not one to blame the manager for everything, but sometimes it seems like Clint needs three months to get these guys off their duffs.
If we did not play in the worst division in Baseball, we would be out of it, but the D-backs and Dodgers seem to have no sense of urgency either. I said last year that the run was too little too late. I was proven wrong. This year I will just wait and see.
Two, whatever is happening with the Rockies, we as fans should be ever grateful for a brilliant and insightful reporter like Ringolsby, who will tell us what we need to know and even get on here and answer our questions. We may not be wiser than other teams fans, but we are better informed.
August 27, 2008
4:26 p.m.
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Tracy Ringolsby writes:
RSMARG,
My guess is Weathers is doubtful to be added in September because he does not have to be placed on the 40-man roster this winter and the Rockies do have some difficult decisions to make in that area so they won't want to fill up a roster spot that could then cost them a young player in the draft at the winter meetings.