Old-Fashioned Coors Field Barn-Burner

Last night we returned briefly to yesteryear, when the Rockies would score 10 runs or more and edge the opponent. On a night when the long ball was flying with the Giants outslugging the Rockies 5 Homers to 2, the Rockies managed to beat the Giants 14-11 to even the series at 1-1 for the weekend.

Before the Humidor, the Rockies would routinely have games where one team or the other would score 10 runs or more. In the Rockies 17 year history, both teams have scored 10 runs or more a total of 39 times, 34 times at home, and only 4 times since 2003. The last time it happened was earlier this year in a 15-11 loss to Houston on May 13th. Overall the Rockies are 19-20 in games where both teams have scored double digit runs.

The win guaranteed the Giants would leave Denver without the Wild Card lead, the best they can do is tie as the Rockies margin is again at 2. The Braves and Marlins have also split their series so far, and both remain 4 games behind the Rockies.

With 69 wins this season, the Rockies have more wins than in 3 entire seasons, 1993-67, 2004-68, and 2005-67. They also only had 53 wins in the strike-shortened year of 1994. They are also 13 wins away from only their 6th winning season.


IN THE BIG INNING: In 2009 the Rockies have 7 innings where they have scored 5 runs or more. Last night's 6th marked the first time since June 14th against Seattle when they scored 5 runs in 7-1 victory.

RUNNING UP LARGE DEFICITS: Saturday's 1-6 deficit, was the largest deficit of the year that that Rockies have come back to win. They have come from 3 runs behind 4 times and 4 runs behind (to Atlanta on July 12th) once.

LINCECUM AVOIDANCE IS OVER: Somehow we have missed seeing Tim Lincicum pitch against the Rockies for the first 10 meetings with the Giants, but we will now see him twice in the next 6 days, today and Friday night in San Francisco. Overall he is 3-2 vs. the Rockies in 8 starts with a 4.40 ERA; 2-0 at Coors Field in 5 starts with a 4.18 ERA. Ubaldo Jimenez meanwhile has faced the Giants twice already winning at Coors Field on May 6th. He has a 2.44 ERA in 7 starts against the Giants overall. The intriguing Jimenez vs. Lincecum matchup of young pitchers should be interesting to watch twice this week.