Weekly Race In Review August 17-23

Rockies go 5-1 for the week to expand their Wild Card lead to 3 over the Giants and contract their NL West deficit to 3.5 games, but their margin of victory in all their games was 3 or less for the entire week.

Results:
8/18 ROCKIES 4 Nationals 3
8/19 ROCKIES 5 Nationals 4
8/20 ROCKIES 5 Nationals 4
8/21 Giants 6 ROCKIES 3
8/22 ROCKIES 14 Giants 11
8/23 ROCKIES 4 Giants 2

Meanwhile the Dodgers were 4-3, Giants 4-3, Braves 5-2, Marlins 2-4. The other division Leaders Phillies went 5-1, while the Cardinals went 5-2.

Magic Number for the Dodgers to win the West 35, Rockies need 42, and Giants need 45. Magic Number for the Rockies to win the Wild Card is 36, Giants need 42, Braves 43, and Marlins 44.

Rockies finish the wrap around series with Giants, Monday night followed by 3 with the Dodgers before they interrupt their 17 game home stand with a quick trip to the Bay Area for 3 games with the Giants. The Giants have 3 at home with the D-Backs as well, and the Dodgers head to Cincinnati for the weekend.

**********************************************************************


POCKET ACES: Sunday's outing was a pitcher's duel as billed after 25 runs were scored Saturday night. Jimenez made one bad pitch in the 2nd inning that Edgar Renteria smacked over the fence. And although Tim Lincecum didn't have his best stuff but still took a no-hitter into the 6th inning. Then he threw one bad pitch to Seth Smith and he trailed by one. Rematch Friday night in San Francisco.

FIELDING DECISIONS: Fielding Choices don't end up in the boxscore, but the Giants gave the Rockies two big assists the past two days. Saturday night with Tulowitzki on first and no outs and the Giants with a 3 run lead, Brad Hawpe got a single to Center Field. Centerfielder Aaron Rowand threw to 3rd to try to cut down Tulo, but the throw had no chance. Meanwhile Brad Hawpe, moved to 2nd on the throw. The ill-advised throw took the Double Play out for the next batter, Ian Stewart who made the whole thing moot by smacking a 3-run HR to tie it up. Sunday, Ian start singled to Right field with Todd Helton on 2nd base, Schierholtz threw a bead towards home plate which Ryan Garko cut off and then threw to Molina too late to catch Helton. Had Garko not cut it off, the throw appeared to be on target, and Helton would have been a dead duck if Molina fielded the ball cleanly. The Rockies got another run directly off a bad fielding play by Travis Ishikawa who ironically was put into the game in the 8th for defensive purposes over Garko, made a bad throw to 2nd to start a potential Double play that resulted in no outs recorded. Ishikawa did receive an error for that one though.

REDEEMING YOURSELF: Eric Bruntlett, playing 2B for the Phillies had 3 consecutive balls hit to him in the 9th inning of Sunday's game at the Mets. He booted the first one and threw late to first for an error. He booted the 2nd one kicking it over to shortstop after ranging far to his right. But it was ruled a hit. The third ball, a line drive to 2B, Bruntlett, managed to get in the glove just before running over 2nd base and then tagging the runner coming from first to second. Maybe Bruntlett was just setting up the unassisted triple play with the first two boots, but it became only the second game-ending triple play in history and the first in National League History. It was also the first National League UTP since Troy Tulowitzki's in 2007, although Asdrubal Cabrera had one for Cleveland in 2008.