Rosario’s celebration. Image: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Rafael Betancourt is dealing with inflammation in the scar tissue around his right groin, an injury that is presumably as unpleasant as it sounds. There was concern that it would force him to the disabled list, but it looks like he should be ready to go by this weekend’s series at the San Francisco Giants. From Troy Renck:

Betancourt has inflammation around scar tissue in right groin. Said no DL. Should be fine by Friday

— Troy Renck (@TroyRenck) May 22, 2013

For now this is good news for the Rockies. Had Betancourt been forced to the DL, we would have seen the start of the inevitable Rex Brothers era at closer. Now there will be a little bit more time with Betancourt in that role and Brothers waiting in the wings while he dominates the 7th and 8th inning with Matt Belisle.

Troy Tulowitzki is out of the lineup for today’s finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks. This buys him a full two days off with the Rockies traveling on Thursday. While it is frustrating to not have Tulowitzki in the lineup for a key divisional game, the logic remains the same: it is better for Tulo to miss one key game in May rather than a bunch of them later in the season.

And I do mean a laugher. Reliever Wilton Lopez batted in the game. The Rockies are near the top of the National League in a number of offensive categories; I have to believe they are running away with “at-bats by relief pitchers.” Anyhow, if baseball has an equivalent of garbage time we saw it last night. You know, like in basketball when the guy at the end of the bench whom everybody loves gets to play the last two minutes and gets a standing ovation upon entering the game. Saturday night it was something like that, and it was a welcome situation for the Rockies after two night of nail-biters.

Rosario’s home run. Image: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario were the offensive heroes in this one. Tulowitzki went 4-for-5 with 2 RBI. Rosario went 2-for-5 with 3 RBI and the game’s only home run. That is worth noting again: there was only one home run in this game. Some might see that the Rockies scored 10 runs and assume that they turned off the humidor or switched in some juiced baseballs or something (ah hem, I’m looking at you, losing pitcher Tim Lincecum). It was just a steady and relentless offensive attack with baserunners and opportunistic at-bats up and down the lineup.

On the mound Tyler Chatwood proved what we already knew: he should never have been demoted to AAA in the first place. He did scatter 7 hits and 4 walks, two numbers that need to improve in his next outing. But Chatwood still managed to go 5.2 innings and allow only 1 run, enough to get the job done.

The Rockies have to sustain a good level of play beyond this series and this month for these wins to matter. But if they do matter, we might note this weekend as the moment that they finally punched back against the Giants. If the Rockies want to really end the weekend with a bang they could defeat Barry Zito, the ace of the Rockies Killers All-Stars, on Sunday. That task might me made even more difficult by the fact that Juan Nicasio is on the mound for the Rockies.

Look at it this way: it will sure be impressive if they do find a way to steal a win, right?