Friday, April 20, 2012

Rock Solid Recap: Chacin and Cuddyer play hero in Milwaukee

Rockies 4, Brewers 3 (boxscore)


Winning Player(s): Whenever the Rockies steal a game from a quality team on the road, there are going to be several candidates. For tonight, though, I've narrowed it down to just two.

1. Jhoulys Chacin: We'll get into his performance a little later.

2. Michael Cuddyer: Even on a night when he's not in the starting lineup (nursing that bruised toe) Cuddyer finds a way to make a difference for the Rockies. As a pinch-hitter in the ninth, Cuddyer came to the plate needing to hit a flyball to score Eric Young Jr. as the go ahead run from third. Cuddyer played it a little safer, instead ripping a solid single right back through the middle.

Clutch!

Highlight of the Night: Watch Michael Cuddyer's game-winning knock

Turning Point: Jason Giambi's pinch-hit single leading off the ninth, which essentially turned into a double with pinch-runner Eric Young Jr. taking over. That, and Marco Scutaro doing his usual professional job of moving the runner to third with another productive plate appearance (still hasn't struck out) to set up Cuddyer's heroics.

Honorable Mention: I can't help but look back to Jhoulys Chacin's two-out, bases loaded single in the fourth that pushed Colorado's lead 2-0, and probably should have made it 3-0 if not for the missed call at the plate. Yes, the Brewers would later tie the game up, and the Rockies impressively responded to that, but this hit from the nine spot could easily be seen as the real difference maker.

Lineup Card: Rockies @ Brewers 4-20-12

— Wednesday's Recap: Bottoms Up

Lineups 

Colorado Rockies (6-6)

  1. Marco Scutaro (2B)
  2. Dexter Fowler (CF)
  3. Carlos Gonzalez (LF)
  4. Troy Tulowitzki (SS)
  5. Todd Helton (1B)
  6. Ramon Hernandez (C)
  7. Tyler Colvin (RF)
  8. Chris Nelson (SS)
  9. Jhoulys Chacin (P)
Ramon Hernandez returns from his minor hand ailment, Michael Cuddyer replaces him on the sideline with his bruised big toe suffered on his own foul ball on Wednesday. I don't think that would keep him out more than a day or two, but I do know big toe pain sucks. So we'll see. 

Milwaukee Brewers (6-7)
  1. Rickie Weeks (2B)
  2. Norichika Aoki (CF)
  3. Ryan Braun (LF)
  4. Aramis Ramirez (3B)
  5. Corey Hart (RF)
  6. Mat Gamel (1B)
  7. Alex Gonzalez (SS)
  8. Jonathan Lucroy (C)
  9. Shawn Marcum (P)
Ryan Braun was 0-for-11 in Milwaukee's just completed series vs Los Angeles. I'm going to look at that as bad news for Rockies pitching this weekend. Really bad.

More Rockies thoughts await you if you follow me on Twitter: @Townie813 & @HeavenHelton