MILWAUKEE — The standings will say the Rockies won their opening-day game Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The expressions on their faces afterward said they survived it.
“I wouldn’t say it was completely conventional, the way we did it,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “We made some things difficult for ourselves, but if you have plans on being a pretty good ballclub, there are days when you’re going to have to play through some adversity.”
Ian Stewart, celebrating his 25th birthday, provided most of the offense with a two-run homer and a sacrifice fly in the Rockies’ 5-3 victory. But it was the bullpen’s ability to weave in and out of danger in relief of Ubaldo Jimenez — the potential tying run came up with no outs in the ninth — that saved the day.
“It’s nice to get a win on opening day, but we’re not going to look at it like that,” Stewart said. “It’s a win to get the season going. We’ve got a long way to go.”
Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
Looking ahead
TODAY: Rockies at Brewers, 6:10 p.m., FSN, KOA 850 AM
Greg Smith (1-2, 7.28 ERA in Triple-A in 2009) didn’t want to make the rotation this way, but he was due for some good luck after missing almost all of last season due to injury and illness. Smith pitches like Jeff Francis, the man he’s replacing. He paints with a small brush, locating a 90 mph fastball to set up a devastating changeup. Smith hasn’t won a big-league game since Sept. 6, 2008. Randy Wolf (11-7, 3.23) was a Rockies-killer last year as the Dodgers’ de facto ace, holding them to a .205 average in four starts. Todd Helton, Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki have homered off the left-hander. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Today: Rockies’ Greg Smith (1-2, 7.28 ERA in Triple-A in 2009) vs. Brewers’ Randy Wolf (11-7, 3.23), 6:10 p.m., FSN
Wednesday: Rockies’ Aaron Cook (11-6, 4.16) vs. Brewers’ Doug Davis (9-14, 4.12), 11:10 a.m., FSN
Thursday: Off
Friday: Padres’ Clayton Richard (9-5, 4.41) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (16-9, 4.38), 2:10 p.m., FSN
Saturday: Padres’ Mat Latos (4-5, 4.62) vs. Rockies’ Jason Hammel (10-8, 4.33), 6:10 p.m., FSN
Sunday: Padres’ Jon Garland (0-1, 4.50) vs. Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (1-0, 1.50), 1:10 p.m., FSN
