It took months, but it finally happened. The division-leading Giants, after winning seemingly every one-run game they played, have grazed the wall, losing eight out of nine.
If only the Rockies had been in position to make them pay.
But no. In a season that is shaping up as one of those seasons, the Rockies went into Saturday night nine games under .500 and 10 games back in the National League West standings.
Make it nine games back as the Rockies, in what amounted to a blast from the past, forgot their troubles, overcame their emotions and took out their frustrations on the Nationals in a 15-7 victory at Coors Field.
The win came one night after an emotionally draining loss to the Nats in which rookie pitcher Juan Nicasio was wheeled off on a stretcher and underwent surgery on a fractured C-1 vertebra in his neck after being hit in the head by a line drive.
“It’s still heavy on everybody’s hearts,” Dexter Fowler said. “We’re still praying for him. Fortunately, he’s doing better. It could be a lot worse. But we’re excited to come out and play and try to get our minds off it.”
The Rockies have wasted countless opportunities, but you get the sense that, come what may, they’re going to come out swinging. And running, what with manager Jim Tracy committed to taking a long look at Eric Young Jr. and Fowler in the top two spots in the order.
“We’re going to play him some, and he deserves to play,” said Tracy, when asked about Young. “He’s doing everything he possibly can to get on base, which is all we’re looking for him to do. And Dexter Fowler . . . the swings he’s taking left-handed over the course of the last week or so, they’re as good as I’ve seen since I’ve gotten here.”
This was the litmus test, what with Carlos Gonzalez coming off the 15-day disabled list. Instead of benching Young, the Rockies placed Ryan Spilborghs on the DL and started CarGo in right field for the first time in 2011. Not only that, Gonzalez returned to the three hole, paving the way for Young to stay at the top of the order.
The results? Young and Fowler combined for four hits, four runs and five RBIs.
“I just wanted to force their hand and make them make decisions,” Young said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen from tomorrow on, but I like my chances. . . . It’s always good when you’ve got the manager behind you.
“As long as Dexter and I keep doing what we’re doing right now, it makes it more fun for those guys behind us hitting. They get real excited and eyes get big when they know they have RBIs out there.”
Troy Tulowitzki went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and is hitting .409 since the break with four homers and 21 RBIs in 23 games. Then there’s Chris Iannetta, who hit a solo homer off Livan Hernandez in a five-run fourth inning and finished with four hits.
Jhoulys Chacin got the win, his first since June 15, when his record stood at 8-4. He went into the game 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA in his previous eight starts. On this night, he battled through a painful hand cramp, one that rendered him without his curveball, to grind out five innings.
“Finally,” Chacin said. “I didn’t really like that eight number. Hopefully there are going to be more wins for me.”
Footnotes. Gonzalez hit .346-7-22 in 133 at-bats in the leadoff spot, but is hitting .246-7-34 in 203 at-bats in the three hole. Todd Helton hit .321-7-36 in 193 at-bats in the No. 3 spot. Said Tracy: “I want to make it very clear that CarGo . . . is going to have to figure things out at this spot. . . . It has to work because you can’t keep jump starting and moving back and forth with the guy at first base.” . . . Spilborghs went on the DL with plantar fasciitis in his right heel, and Greg Reynolds was recalled from Triple-A to replace Nicasio. . . . The Rockies also traded infielder Alfredo Amezaga to Florida for minor-league infielder Jesus Merchan, who was hitting .268 at Triple-A New Orleans.
