Friday’s First Pitch

Leading Off

Plagued again. The Rockies have now lost three players in six days and a second outfielder. Yesterday Charlie Blackmon fractured his left foot sliding into third. Blackmon was put on the 15 day disabled list, but Carlos Gonzalez is likely to be back in the game today while Troy Tulowitzki is hoping to see some playing time this weekend. Jose Reyes of the Mets had the starting shortstop position for the National League in the All-Star Game, but he is now on the DL opening up the spot for Tulowitzki. Speaking of All-Stars, Todd Helton ended in third place in voting behind the Dodgers’ Andre Ethier and the Phillies’ Shane Victorino, who has since been put on the DL as well, giving Ethier the spot.

The Good

The Rockies took the lead early. Something clicked at the plate with the Rockies in the first few innings, taking a 2-0 lead after the top of the third. The combined pitching of Eric Stults, Matt Reynolds and Rafael Betancourt let only one run score after the five-run inning for the Braves, this just wasn’t enough after the Rockies managed to only score once more after the third.

The Bad

Pitcher Juan Nicasio started off strong, but then when the third inning came along he gave up five runs, three as a result of Freddie Freeman’s three-run home run which was Freeman’s fourth homer of the series. The Braves began pounding the ball the way they had been all series during that inning. Nicasio left the game with only one out and was replaced by Stults in the third.

The Ugly

Once the Rockies were down, it seemed like they were out until the eighth inning. In the eighth, Mark Ellis scored on a wild-pitch. Later in the inning with two outs and bases loaded, Ty Wigginton struck out on four pitches. The Rockies, once again, left ten runners on.

On Deck

Today’s matchup against the Washington National.