The Rockies’ magic number on Thursday was .500. By defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 4-3, the streaking Rockies improved to 33-33, squaring their record for the first time since April 15. What’s more, manager Jim Tracy evened his career record at 577-577, and starter Ubaldo Jimenez improved to 6-6 this season and 22-22 for his career.
In the swing.
Jimenez, who was awful with a bat prior to this season with an .064 average (6-for-51), has been Todd Helton-like. He banged out the Rockies’ first hit Thursday, raising his average to .304 (7-for-23). “Just lucky, I guess,” he joked. But a few lockers away, Clint Barmes said, “It’s not just luck. He’s a lot better now.”
Finally.
Carlos Gonzalez, starting in center field, hit his first homer in a Rockies uniform, ending a stretch of 95 at-bats without a major-league home run, going back to Aug. 14 when he was with the A’s. That homer was a two-run shot off the Rays’ James Shields.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
