Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Rockies move to five back in NL West with win over Giants

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published September 2, 2008 at 10:28 p.m.

Text size  
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki watches his two-run home run off Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's game at Coors Field.

Photo by David Zalubowski © AP

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki watches his two-run home run off Giants starting pitcher Tim Lincecum in the fourth inning of Tuesday night's game at Coors Field.

The Key . . .

Moment: With two on and one out in the 10th, Jason Grilli struck out pinch hitter Rich Aurilia and second baseman Emmanuel Burriss to get out of the inning, then retired the Giants in order in the 11th, including back-to-back strikeouts of pinch hitter Eugenio Velez and Dave Roberts.

Player: Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki delivered only his second career hit against right-hander Tim Lincecum, but it was a big hit - a two-run home run to cap a five- run fourth inning.

Stat: 5 runs by the Rockies off Lincecum in the fourth inning, equaling the most runs he has allowed in a major league inning.

Rockies quick links

Drew on Baseball
Drew Litton
Scores and statistics

Related Links

Related Stories

More Colorado Rockies

More stories »

Rockies right-hander Jason Grilli's first love in pro ball was the San Francisco Giants.

They jilted him, trading Grilli, their first- round pick and the fourth player selected in the 1997 draft, to Florida for Livan Hernandez in July 1999.

He hasn't forgotten.

"Anytime you play against your old team, you dig in a little deeper, but I have no animosity toward anybody over there," Grilli said. "It was disheartening when I was traded, but I was young. It taught me about the business side of baseball."

Lately, Grilli has given the Giants a few lessons himself.

On a night when the Rockies knocked around Cy Young Award hopeful Tim Lincecum for the first time, it was Grilli who came out of the bullpen to pitch three shutout innings and get credit for the 6-5, 12-inning victory.

It was the second three-inning effort for Grilli in seven days against the Giants, whom he shut out for the final three innings and his first major league save in a 7-2 victory at AT-T Park one week ago tonight.

What made the victory bigger was Grilli was working with no margin for error after the Rockies blew a 5-0 lead against Lincecum.

And by winning, the Rockies were able to pick up a game on National League West leader Arizona for the first time in a week.

They are five games behind the Diamondbacks with 22 games remaining, including six of the final nine against Arizona.

"We're going to play until they turn the lights off," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We'll keep looking for a way to beat the other team."

The way Tuesday was to get to Lincecum early with a five-run fourth inning, equaling the most runs he has given up in an inning, and capped by Troy Tulowitzki's two-run home run.

Then, after Hernandez, now a teammate of Grilli, gave up two runs in the fifth and allowed two of the first three batters in the sixth to reach base, Luis Vizcaino was unable to get out of a bases-loaded mess in the sixth, when the Giants tied the score 5-5.

What became a battle of bullpens finally ended in the 12th, when Giants closer Brian Wilson got the call with one out and two on.

Ryan Spilborghs, who rejoined the active roster Monday after missing 47 games with a pulled side muscle, lined a 1-2 pitch into the right-field corner, scoring Omar Quintanilla with the winning run.

Quintanilla had singled with one out and advanced to second when Keiichi Yabu walked Matt Holliday. That set the stage for the entrance of Wilson, who had five saves in six previous appearances against the Rockies this season.

"It's always hard when you want to be part of the team," Spilborghs said of his time as an observer. "It's one thing to get sent (to the minor leagues) but another when you have an injury. When you are out there competing and get hurt and can't play . . . that's the hardest play, wanting to do something that might help the team but you aren't able to do anything."

If there were jitters, Spilborghs got rid of them when he came off the disabled list, started in Monday's 4-0 victory and went 0-for-3.

Grilli got rid of nerves a long time ago. Since those early days with the Giants, he has been with the Marlins, White Sox and Tigers before being dealt to the Rockies for minor league pitcher Zach Simons on April 30.

He pitched OK early but has gotten better as the season has progressed.

And now, Hurdle said, "He's pitching the best ball he has all season."

The highlights have been the two lengthy appearances against the Giants, including the way he escaped a jam in the 10th Tuesday.

With one out and two on, Grilli struck out Rich Aurilia and Emmanuel Burriss. He has given up only two hits and one walk while striking out seven in the six innings of the two appearances.

"You never know, I could wind up back there someday," Grilli said. "I've worn the hat of five organizations already, and they liked me once. But I'm hoping I can stay here. I'd like to feel I fit with what (the Rockies) want to do."

Comments

  • September 2, 2008

    10:54 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    1somelikeithot writes:

    Tracy, that wasn't Spilly's first AB since coming off the disabled list. He had three AB's in yesterday's game. It was his first AB of this game in which he brought in the winning run.

    YAAAAAAYYY!!! Spilly's back!!!

  • September 2, 2008

    11:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Hambone writes:

    Again, Hurdle lets Livan stay out there and look what happens!!! Five innings is all you can hope for with this guy even if he is throwing well. The third time through the lineup is his nemesis right now and the Rocks can't afford to blow another game.

  • September 3, 2008

    8:47 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    GeeTee writes:

    A few comments --

    1) Livan Hernandez should NEVER be allowed to go more than twice through an opponent's line-up.
    2) Luis Vizcaino is the WORST signing since Bung-Hole Kim. What is his percentage of inherited runners scoring -- has to be 75% or so?!
    3) Why do you pinch-run for your starting catcher when his only back-up is untested and hitting .000?
    4) If the Rockies make the playoffs, it will again -- just like in '07 -- NOT be because of any decisions Clint Hurdle makes. Get off the pipe, Clint!!

    5) GO ROCKIES!

  • September 3, 2008

    9:20 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    1somelikeithot writes:

    Tracy, I see the article was re-written from last night. Thank you. What a great win. Go Rockies!!

  • September 3, 2008

    10:22 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    Did anybody else notice that Paul Byrd had another good outing for that team from Boston on Monday? Ultimately, there were 2 serviceable pitchers on the block after the deadline...Livan & Byrd. Well, Byrd is something like 3-0 with is new club. He may have one loss, but the Rox blew it with that one (he's on one of my fantasy teams, so I follow him by default). Oh, we would have paid less for Byrd's services than we are for Livan's also.

    Either way, we're back in it, baby! It's good knowing that my late season tickets will be for games that matter, again. I almost can't believe it, but we actually hold our own destiny. Thanks in large part to what may be one of the weakest divisions (record-wise) in recent history. All we need is Helton back. Go Rox!

  • September 3, 2008

    10:27 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    arvada_mark writes:

    Also, I agree GeeTee. The Rox are doing it/have done it in spite of our manager & his bosses.

  • September 3, 2008

    10:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    craig7078 writes:

    Last nights game was one of the most grossly mismanaged games by Hurdle yet and the team bailed him out. What this team could do with a decent manager.

  • September 3, 2008

    11:56 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    meteorite writes:

    I was at the game last night and I agree with you folks. Hurdle is the problem. He should have taken Livan out after he went through the order the 2nd time. When he came back out, I cringed. Sure enough, there was 3 runs on the board. I swear his is smoking crack in the dugout.
    Glad Spilly is back and Tulo seems to be back in a groove. If only Holliday would bust out of his slump, we could take this lousy division. His avg has dropped about 13 points in a month.

  • September 3, 2008

    12:07 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    SDcat writes:

    I'm beginning to think that Hurdle is managing in the event that we don't actually make the playoffs, he's shopping and testing the younger players for 09 and still attempting to win a game. Dexter has been extremely successful in DoubleA and clearly impresses the scouts. Pinch hitting with Spilborghs could have come earlier but Seth Smith has been incredibly successful as well.
    I'm not sure you can manage with 2 goals in mind....

    But anyway, great that we won...