This is something Rockies fans could get used to. Great starting pitching, offense that starts early and finishes late, and a bullpen that shuts down the opposition. Add all that together and you have a perfect formula for winning and the Rockies are doing it with regularity in the early going this season.
Jhoulys Chacin picked up where he left off on Opening Day throwing 6.2 innings surrendering one run on 6 hits while striking out 2 and walking none. After two starts Chacin's ERA sits at 1.35 and he has looked like the Chacin that finished last year on a positive note. Edgmer Escalona relieved Chacin with a runner on first in the 7th and after giving up a single to John Baker the Padres had runners on first and third. Escalona got pinch hitter Carlos Quentin to roll over to 3B Chris Nelson and end the threat.
The Rockies were without regulars Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer, Todd Helton, and Josh Rutledge Sunday afternoon, but it didn't seem to matter. The offense opened up the game with with 3 straight extra base hits off Padres starter Edinson Volquez highlighted by Dexter Fowler's blast to right center field for his club leading 4th HR of the year. Reid Brignac playing 2B for Josh Rutledge filled in admirably. Brignac was 1-3 with an RBI double in the 1st and he also made a wonderful defensive play where he dove to his right and from a knee threw out the runner at first.
The Rockies really opened it up in the later innings when Wilin Rosario hit his 3rd HR of the season, a 3 run shot to left that put the Rockies up 7-1, but they weren't done yet. In the 8th the Rockies continued their relentless attack on Padres reliever Anthony Bass when they had 4 hits and 2 runs. Jonathan Herrera, playing SS for Troy Tulowitzki, tripled home Chris Nelson in the frame. Yorvit Torrealba's pinch hit single scored Herrera from third and gave the Rockies their 9th and final run. Wilton Lopez worked a scoreless 9th inning to finish it.
It may not have been the lineup that people wanted, but you can't argue with the results. I'll take a 9-1 win any day against any opponent and you have to give credit where credit is due. On this day the backups did their job and the Rockies are now 5-1 as they head to San Francisco to take on the Giants tomorrow night.
Source: FanGraphs
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