The little victories keep getting bigger for Greg Smith.
First, he washed away the taste of a lost 2009 season by making the Rockies’ 25-man opening day roster. Then, after Jeff Francis landed on the disabled list, Smith last week made his first major-league start in more than a year.
Smith celebrated making the roster by cracking a beer, something he rarely does. Now he has an even bigger reason to celebrate: another big-league win to call his own.
Smith, before Tuesday night’s 11-3 rout of the New York Mets at Coors Field, hadn’t won in the majors since Sept. 6, 2008, when he was with the Oakland Athletics. Not that he didn’t deserve more wins that season.
By all accounts but victories, Smith had a solid rookie season with the A’s. He allowed only 169 hits in 190-1/3 innings, but lost 16 of his 23 decisions. How? Stuff happens when you don’t get any run support.
The A’s averaged only 2.88 runs per game for him, the lowest in the major leagues in 11 years. Smith was 1-13 in 18 starts in which his teammates scored one or fewer runs for him, 6-3 when they put up two-plus.
No wonder the Rockies wanted him included in the Matt Holliday trade. It may be a year later than planned, but all indications are that Smith is ready to contribute. Question is, for how long?
He was scheduled to be in the bullpen on opening day after a roster spot opened because of Huston Street’s lingering shoulder inflammation. And then he moved into the rotation when Francis came up sore after his Cactus League finale.
What happens when Street and Francis are healthy? That remains to be seen. But this much is certain: Smith didn’t hurt his cause Tuesday. One week after allowing five earned runs in a loss at Milwaukee, he limited the Mets to two runs and six hits over seven innings.
Brad Hawpe got things started with a two-run double in the first before the Rockies broke the game open with their biggest inning of the season, a six spot in the third.
Ian Stewart and Clint Barmes drove in the first two runs with two-out singles before Smith — yes, Smith — banged a double down the left-field line to make it 6-0. Moments later, Seth Smith slammed his first home run of the season to make it 8-0.
