Good News: LoDo Magic Still Happens

It’s been a rough week for the Rockies, what with all the losses to the Astros and yesterday’s extra-inning loss to the Dodgers. Plus dropping last weekend’s series to the Giants despite some valiant effort. If today’s game had resulted in a loss and been as close as it was, it’s not hard to imagine the effect that would have had on morale.

But, fear not! The victory was ours. And it was achieved thanks to contributions from nearly all involved (DJ LeMahieu, we will kindly avert our eyes from your 0-for-5 day at the plate as well as that one time when you didn’t pick up the ball and you should have picked up the ball). Jhoulys Chacin was not great, so let’s get that out there right away. He had his typical blend of great innings (1-2-3 in the 2nd and 4th) and horrendous innings (3 runs surrendered in the 3rd and 2 in the 6th). The VERY good news is that I no longer see Chacin snowballing from one bad inning to the next. Ever since he righted himself after a tough 1st inning on opening day, he’s shown greater maturity and confidence from the mound. He still has bad innings, but the bad innings don’t have to lead to more and more and more of them. Not the best line for him today, but movement in the right direction nonetheless.

It was not a great day for Dexter Fowler, but he is your walk-off hero. Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

As for the hitters, there was still plenty of leaving people on base, but there were also timely hits and a couple of solidly hit home runs, one of which, by Michael Cuddyer, tied the game and allowed it to go into extras. The bottom of the 10th was as LoDo-magical an inning I’ve ever seen. It was basically three strokes of luck in a row: with 2 outs, Yorvit Torrealba hit a ground ball that should have been an easy play for erstwhile Rockie Mark Ellis. Instead, Ellis came over the top of the ball and Torrealba made it to 1st safely. Then Wilin Rosario came in for the pitcher and hit such a slow roller that the shortstop couldn’t come into it in time, and Rosario beat the throw. Then Dexter Fowler came to the plate and hit a sharp grounder down the right field line that just stayed fair. It was enough for Torrealba to cross the plate and score the winning run. None of those things should have happened, much less all of them.

LoDo Magic is alive. Now if we can just keep it going a little …