Game #99: Francis vs Maddux

by Rox Girl on Jul 23, 2007 4:57 PM MDT in Rockpile Comment 46 comments

So tonight starts one of our most important homestands in seasons, with the team playing the two division leaders back to back. The team is far enough back in the standings from these two to get back into a race with success, or be completely out of it with failure.

So far, our summer swoon hasn't been the same devastation of seasons past, despite our lame finish to this last road trip, and again, success in these next seven games will signal a turnaround, but losing will indicate the story's the same as it has been for the last dozen years or so. Tonight, Franchise gets the opportunity to start things right against a future Hall of Famer. Success will depend on how our offense bounces back from the two games of silence in Washington.

Let's go Rockies, get back in this thing.

BTW, our friendly rivals at Gaslamp Ball have petitioned for our help in voting for Swingin'
Friar against the Pirates mascot in return for their help in our valiant but ultiately futile effort to win the SI blog contest this Spring. I say we can put Swingin' Friar over the top. Go Purple Row!

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So no pressure, guys.

www.notthisday.com

by Squeaky on Jul 23, 2007 5:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Headed to the game!!!

We will win. My ridiculous Rockies home mojo requires it. As does my heart.

GO KAZ!!!

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Jul 23, 2007 5:47 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm going to tonight's game too.

I think the Rockies are like 2-12 this season when I'm in attendance.

Maybe I should just stop going to games....
I must be bad luck.

by malakian on Jul 23, 2007 6:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looks like

My luck > your luck.

Thankfully.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Jul 23, 2007 10:45 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

After tonight

the Rocks are 8-4 in games I've attended this season, which I'll take.

by Knepster on Jul 24, 2007 12:49 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Let's go Rockies!

Start this homestand off right.

by avsfan4ever33 on Jul 23, 2007 7:00 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Nice job by Francis

Lead double doesn't faze him.

Let's go offense!

by avsfan4ever33 on Jul 23, 2007 7:19 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Ooph!

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 8:18 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Oy vey

We're screwed.

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 8:19 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Will we see another

example of how not to score with two men on and no outs recorded?

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 8:26 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I can't wait to see how

we fail to score here.

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 8:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Of course, it would be one of the worst ways

to get a run.

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 8:31 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Close the gap

Still counts whether it came on a force out or not. Tulo breaking up the double play was nice as well (even though it didn't end up mattering).

by MADness on Jul 23, 2007 8:33 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey Russ

Sorry for the expletive. Just a bit riled up. You don't have to go all 1984 on my comment though.

by moomacher on Jul 23, 2007 8:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

It acceptable from

time to time.

I've done it at least once.

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 8:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's acceptable

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 8:43 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I deleted it

I think the general grounds of "acceptedness" should come from more of your immediate bouts of frustration, like a robbed homer, or hitting into a triple play. Something that just slips out immediately in frustration.

Your comment was a general assessment of the game, and hence, a bit too premeditated for acceptibility. I think you can be a little more clever in how you approach comments than throwing in a casual F word.

by David OhNo on Jul 23, 2007 9:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Matty!

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 9:18 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Matty! Effin! Holliday!

I can't believe that just happened!

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 9:20 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Woke up just in time

Both Matt's bat and myself woke up just in time. :)

I had fallen asleep on the couch until my sister called me right after Sully got hit by the pitch.

by MADness on Jul 23, 2007 9:24 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

BRANDON!

He couldn't bear letting Matt have the homer lead, even for a few minutes.

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 9:26 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Brandon

wielding the bat!

Manny Time!

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 9:26 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Close this out

Hopefully the bullpen can close out the game.

Coming back for 5 runs on the Padres bullpen has to be a much needed confidence boost for the offense (if we can hold out and win it).

by MADness on Jul 23, 2007 9:27 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

So who kinked the hose?

In an irony of ironies, the Rockies bats awoke against arguably the best collection of relief pitchers in the National League...

by David OhNo on Jul 23, 2007 9:28 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Come on, Manny....

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 9:32 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Man-ny!

Great comeback!

"Don't give up the ship!" - Capt. James Lawrence

by Russ on Jul 23, 2007 9:36 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow!

Great game, great win, sad fact that we scored as many runs in one game as we did in the entire Nats series...

I wish I'd been there.

Get Demented. I already am, and in severe emotional pain to boot.

by Silverblood on Jul 23, 2007 9:38 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Ho-lee crap

Did we really just win that ballgame? What a night! I honestly didn't think we had that in us... in fact, I fully expected Holliday to hit into a GIDP there in the 8th.

Another terrific job by Corpas... but apparently Angel Hernandez had a dinner reservation in LoDo tonight because those last two pitches to B. Giles were questionable at best. Not that I'm complaining though. We needed this one in a bad, bad way.

mvn.com/mlb-rockies - Staying on the sunny side of Blake Street since 1993.

by Franchise26 on Jul 23, 2007 9:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hernandez is...

...considered one of the worst umpires in all of baseball by many, and I would tend to agree. But it's nice to be on the good end of some bad calls for once.

Up in the Rockies

by rockiesfan06 on Jul 23, 2007 9:40 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Amazing

Just when you thought it the Rox were going to continue to tank in such an important stretch of games...Holliday and Hawpe to the rescue. I love it. HUGE win.

Up in the Rockies

by rockiesfan06 on Jul 23, 2007 9:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

That zone looked a little wide

but props to Corpas for exploiting it.

This win was very big if we plan on winning both series. Tomorrow's game with Jimenez is the big crapshoot of this series, as the Pad's patience could spell trouble for Ubaldo, but their struggles with quality contact could be just as damaging to their cause. So the Rockies roll the dice with Jimenez, and play it safe with Cook. Surely we can win one of these two games.

by David OhNo on Jul 23, 2007 9:40 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Hernandez

It almost seemed as if Angel had trouble with pitches with a lot of movement on them (especially horizontal movement like Manny's armside run).

Might have been my imagination but most of the headscratchers that I noticed involved pitches with late movement.

by MADness on Jul 23, 2007 9:58 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

True

you also have to wonder if strike three was a bit of a "told ya so" call after Giles gave him a bit of a stare down on strike two. Hernandez has a reputation for showing up players who openly question his calls, but I would have to believe he'd be a little more objective on the game ending strike. Who knows...

by David OhNo on Jul 23, 2007 10:04 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seen worse

In his defense Manny's pitches move a LOT in the last few feet.

Even if it is caught outside that doesn't mean it didn't cut across the plate.

Let the Padres fans worry about it. :)

by MADness on Jul 23, 2007 10:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who didn't expect that?

Me! Me! Me!

Wow, guys! That's pretty cool! It is clear that MatttheRock's mojo is more powerful than Malakian's. :)

www.notthisday.com

by Squeaky on Jul 23, 2007 9:43 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Matt cancelled out my unlucky influence apparently.

Great game.
Great crowd.
Great way to start off the series.

by malakian on Jul 23, 2007 10:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was a good looking crowd

do you remember what the announced attendance was?

I'm hoping that more ticket sales = better offer to Kentrail Davis.

by David OhNo on Jul 23, 2007 10:18 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crowd

Box score saz: Att: 31,047

But I thought they said something like 33,000 on the broadcast.

Sure am glad the equipment manager finally found the box with the right bats in it. Just in the nick of time also.

by roxhead on Jul 23, 2007 10:28 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

31,047

That's an interesting take on signing Davis.

Signing Davis is a big deal in my eyes. This year's draft was average-to-below-average depending on whether or not they can sign Davis. None of this year's draft picks have the upside Kentrail possesses (in my amateur opinion of course).

Guys like Rike, Weathers and Davis are solid and safe picks, but none of them really come close to Davis' potential (if the scouting reports are to be believed).

by malakian on Jul 23, 2007 10:29 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crowd

was great. I really loved the standing O the right field area (I was sitting in there somewhere) gave Bradhawpe after his homer. I wish he would have given a little tip of the hat or something to acknowledge it, but then again, maybe he shouldn't let anything get to his head.

Yes, those guys.

by potterhead4 on Jul 23, 2007 11:20 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely a good moment

Left field tried to give Holliday something like that when he got over, but there wasn't a ton of people there thanks to the puppy night. Made for some cute pictures on the jumbotron.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Jul 23, 2007 11:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I despise "Bark in the Park"

Worst promotion ever. The person who came up with that idea should be shot.

They had a similar promotion up in Casper last week.
I think I got fleas from the dog sitting behind me.

by malakian on Jul 23, 2007 11:46 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rike

I like Rike.

I like toolsy guys and unlike Christensen, Rike is more experienced and closer to having success in pro ball.

I agree with your overall assessment of the draft though - it seemed more like a system building draft than a draft rich in high-end potential. I find that a bit odd since the Rockies finally have a strong system but they DO lack elite talent at certain positions and at certain levels of the organization. It seemed a bit backwards to me.

by MADness on Jul 24, 2007 3:47 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was freakin awesome!

I love it when the little voice in my head tells me "if Kaz gets on, the Rockies will win it." It's even better when the voice was right. Holliday absolutely crushed that ball, as soon as it left the bat you knew it was a goner. Incredible turn of events, because I was starting to wonder if we were going to pull it out. People went nuts when Helton went warning track too, but Atkins kept it alive for Hawpe and the rest is history.

And about my mojo, I need to bottle that crap and send it with the team on the road. I've been attending games since 97, probably over sixty some games, and I've been to five losses in my life, and one of those was in St. Louis so it doesn't really count. Not sure why it is, how it works, or really if I'm just stupid lucky, but that's how it is.

So I can say this with the utmost confidence, Saturday, we will beat the Dodgers.

President of the Kazuo Matsui Fan Club

by MattTheRock on Jul 23, 2007 11:03 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who knew?

I was at the game tonight and for 71/2 innings it was one of the most lifeless affairs I've seen in a long time, with the Rockies seemingly having neither chance nor interest in winning.

But when there's no clock, anything can happen. When Sullivan got hit with an 0-2 pitch, apparently the floodgates opened and the good guys finally found a way to get it done. Maybe that prodigious blast will get Holliday going, and thankfully Padres didn't bring in a lefty to face Hawpe, who's getting a Coors Field reputation for late-inning dramatics (see Phillies, July 6).

And how about Corpas once again? I was certainly glad to see those three straight strikes called on B. Giles, who draws a lot of walks. If Hernandez gave Manny a couple borderline calls, so much the better.

by moose14 on Jul 23, 2007 10:57 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

i have been at every game this season

i have seen the visitors happy and sad post game. but tonight i have NEVER EVER seen a team so dissapointed or mad in a game this was a game that the we should of lost and ended up winning and the pads are pisssed weather that helps or hurts us remains to be seen. i got to watch maddux really close tonight he is by far my favorite non rockie. it was great to see him steal a base. and i love watching him pitch go rox tommorow

by roxfan4life on Jul 24, 2007 12:07 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Game thoughts

Holy crap that was fun. I, too, think Bark in the Park is dumb. Holliday's HR was perfect, maybe it will break him out of whatever little slump he's been in. When he stepped up to the plate I thought man, wouldn't it be great for him to hit one out. I didn't say it outloud though, fearing a jinx. Hawpe's was just as good.

Also, I don't know if anybody else noticed this, but Glenallen Hill was wearing a helmet while coaching first base. I've never noticed him wearing it before, so I'm sure it had some thing to do with what happened yesterday. Also noticed Gallego was not wearing one, and neither of the Pads coaches were.

by Knepster on Jul 24, 2007 12:19 AM MDT reply actions 0 recs