Rockies 4, Tigers 3: Marquis excellent again, Rockies find the longball in a victory

by Bryan Kilpatrick on May 23, 2009 10:40 PM MDT in Rockies Game Wraps

Jason Marquis lasted 7.2 innings, allowing only 2 earned runs on 6 hits as the Rockies (17-25) outlasted the Tigers (24-17) 4-3, notching just their second one-run victory of the season. Marquis walked only one batter and struck out four, as he kept the Tigers off-balance all night, aside from the occasional hard hit ball mostly by guys named Miguel Cabrera and Gerald Laird. Randy Flores made an appearance in relief of Marquis in the bottom of the 8th and struck out the only batter he faced in Clete Thomas with nobody on base. Huston Street came on for the ninth and earned his 100th career save, becoming the second Rockies closer in as many seasons to accomplish the feat. Street walked two batters in the inning, but was able to notch a strike out of red-hot Gerald Laird to end the game.

In addition to the strong pitching performances across the board, the Rox were also able to find their sticks. Before leaving the game with a hamstring injury in the top of the sixth (more on that later), Chris Iannetta hit a solo home run and smacked a double down the left field line to raise his batting average to .231. The long ball was quite beneficial to the Rockies again when Todd Helton crushed a 3-0 offering from Armando Galarraga deep into the right field seats to break a 3-3 tie. Plus, Dexter Fowler had a good night at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.

As for Iannetta's injury, it occurred while he was rounding third and trying to score on a hit (!) by Garrett Atkins. He has been officially listed as day-to-day, but could be placed on the DL due to the need for two catchers to be on the active roster at all times. Hopefully, Chris will recover quickly. However, the Rockies (as much as you'll all hate me for saying this) will be in decent hands with Yorvit Torrealba taking over the starting job while Iannetta's out.

Jason Hammel will be in search of his first victory tomorrow in the rubber match of this series, as he'll oppose a rejuvenated Dontrelle Willis at 11:05 AM MT. How about a series win, Rox?

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Fire Hurdle!

by cocainelips99 on May 23, 2009 11:18 PM MDT reply actions

GIve me a reason

after tonight’s game!

"We made too many wrong mistakes." ~Yogi Berra
"The ballplayer who loses his head, who can't keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all." ~Lou Gehrig
JFK

by jrockies on May 23, 2009 11:34 PM MDT up reply actions

I'm really beginning to believe that it won't happen until the end of the season if at all.

Hurdle does O’Dowd’s bidding, O’Dowd does Monfort’s bidding and the Monforts are content with things the way they are. So I see no hope for change in the foreseeable future.

Baseball players are smarter than football players. How often do you see a baseball team penalized for too many men on the field?
Author: Jim Bouton

by pedalpusher on May 24, 2009 8:50 AM MDT up reply actions

Iannetta and Torrealba

Personally, between the two of them, I think that we may have the best catching tandem in baseball. I never thought we’d ever be able to think about saying that about the Rockies catchers after years of Manwaring/Reed, Reed/Estalella, Johnson/Greene, Closser/Ardoin (that one’s painful to remember), etc.

Though he’s rightly the backup, Yorvit Torrealba is one of my favorite Rockies of all-time. The guy could probably be the everyday catcher for most MLB clubs, and, although he’ll say that he wants to start, he just goes out when he’s called on and competes and gives it his all to try and help the team win. He’s great with the staff, calls an outstanding game, and he’s no slouch offensively. Plus, the only catcher in baseball that is more entertaining may be with the Rockies tomorrow in Sal Fasano.

"Horton is win."
--Horvil Tiki

by wtnelson on May 23, 2009 11:44 PM MDT reply actions

Yorvit is hitting well above .400

…over the past week. He has been the hottest hitter.

Check out my Rockies comic strip at:
Rock Drive 1.4

by Charlie77 on May 24, 2009 12:41 AM MDT up reply actions

Bring on the :-C

Watching the purple row from high atop the big brown monolith on California Ave

by Mondogarage on May 24, 2009 12:02 AM MDT reply actions

Uh... yeah

Sal’s hitting .220 in AAA. More likely is Edwin Bellorin, who’s batting .414 this month.

by Tom (RFTN) on May 24, 2009 3:10 AM MDT up reply actions

He's also become a mentor to our young pitchers down there.

It’s definitely going to be Bellorin or Phillips.

by Greg Stanwood on May 24, 2009 7:55 AM MDT up reply actions

Hey Grizz...

I really enjoy reading your wraps. They flow well, like a young DMC.

Check out my Rockies comic strip at:
Rock Drive 1.4

by Charlie77 on May 24, 2009 12:42 AM MDT reply actions

Ha!

Thanks, I appreciate that.

"What's money? A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and goes to bed at night and in between does what he wants to do." -Bob Dylan

by Bryan Kilpatrick on May 24, 2009 2:51 PM MDT up reply actions

I knew it was the mustache.

It all makes sense now.

grr....im tough

by xxxpickemgenius on May 24, 2009 3:02 AM MDT reply actions

From RotoWorld.com

If catcher Chris Iannetta (hamstring) has to be placed on the disabled list, Paul Phillips will get the call over Sal Fasano.
Phillips played last season in the White Sox organization. In 62 career games, he has an average of .252. Hamstring injuries are problematic for catchers, so the odds that Iannetta hits the disabled list is likely. Yorvit Torrealba would become the starter in that event.
Source: Denver Post
Related: Sal Fasano, Yorvit Torrealba

"A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."
Jackie Robinson

http://www.geocities.com/by31lengths/Randompage2.html

by walkoff59 on May 24, 2009 7:51 AM MDT reply actions