The just completed 4 game set with the Giants may have been the greatest single series in the history of the Rockies. As noted in my post last night, each game was significantly different from the others. Going in, the Rockies needed to split the series just to keep the 2 game lead they went in with. The Giants needed to take 3 games to tie and 4 games to take the Wild Card lead. But let's look at it from the NL West perspective. Had they lost last night they would be 4 games out, had they lost another game they'd be 5 games out, and if they were swept they'd be 6 games out.
The Rockies had opportunities to win Game 1 and didn't. The Giants had opportunities to win Games 2, 3, 4 and led at some point in every game, but they didn't win any of them.
Had the Rockies lost last night, it shouldn't have been a devastating one. The Giants, meanwhile are at least temporarily devastated, and could very well recover at home against the D-Backs starting tonight. They had to be pretty confident after Friday night's win, that they would win another game here, and maybe two, but leave with 3 straight losses.
Apparently Justin Miller, a 1997 Rockies draft pick, is getting most of the grief from Giants fans this morning, for the 3 batters he face in the 14th. I can't fault him too much for the Tulowitzki walk, and even if he had managed to get 3 strikes to Adam Eaton, who was ordered not to swing by Jim Tracy, the outcome could have turned out the same--except the score might have been 5-4 instead of 6-4.
Plenty of blame on both sides to go around for either team losing. Troy Tulowitzki made two great plays at shortstop, but made a huge mistake in the 10th after singling to Right Field. Carlos Gonzalez was on 2nd but was held up at third and would be the winning run if he scored. As the throw came in, Tulo inexplicably broke for 2nd base. He has to know in that situation, he's a meaningless runner. He got caught in a rundown, and thrown out. If he held at first, the Giants are forced to bring the infield in with no outs, and Hawpe and Spillborghs have a better chance to hit Gonzalez in.
The only second-guessing of Jim Tracy I would do is putting Gonzalez in for Helton at that point, which had some repercussions later, when Gonzalez came up in the lineup twice. With Helton on first, it made more sense, but with him on 2nd, taking away a potential double play, it didn't make as much sense. Maybe he was just afraid of Helton running through a stop sign again. Not egregious, but it definitely was a decision that came back to hurt a little bit.
For the third straight game, the Rockies were given gift runs by the Giants pitchers last night. Zito walked Helton to drive in Torrealba, and Miller walked Eaton to bring in Fowler. Sunday, Clint Barmes took a pitch on the leg to drive Tulowitzki in with an insurance run. Saturday, Fowler scored on a Wild Pitch, and then later walked to drive in Torrealba, Helton followed Dexter and walked to drive in Spilborghs. Key stat, Giants gave up 32 walks to the Rockies 15 for the series. Eaton had 7 of the Rockies 15, 5 last night.
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