Rockies fans rejoice!
Our team is one win short of tying a franchise record for consecutive wins in a row.
Remember that wonderful September that got the Rockies into the World Series two years ago? That was the last time the Rockies went on a run like this.
By beating the Mariners 5-3 last night, the Rockies have won 10 straight games since salvaging one game from the Astros in their four-game series.
After that game, the Rockies went on to sweep the Cardinals in St. Louis and then sweep the Brewers in Milwaukee. All this adds up to an eight-game winning streak on the road.
That is nothing short of amazing. Especially for a team that no one ever thinks of as a perennial contender.
If the Dodgers went on this kind of run, baseball fanatics would think that they are just on a run that will help them win the NL West.
But because the Rockies are on it, people are starting to reconsider their predictions of the last-place Rockies as usual.
No, the Rockies will not win the NL West because of this streak.
This streak is proving that the Rockies are a team that is good enough to contend with the best teams of the MLB.
Many times, a team looks to a certain leader to explain a 10-game winning streak. This one and the one from 2007 for the Rockies have not had just one major contributor. The Rockies have been getting production from all nine spots in their lineup.
Yes, I did say ALL nine spots.
Take a look:
- Dexter Fowler: .286 BA, 4 RBI, 1 HR
- Ryan Spilborghs: .267 BA, 3 RBI, 1 HR
- Clint Barmes: .381 BA, 12 RBI, 1 HR
- Todd Helton: .303 BA, 9 RBI
- Brad Hawpe: .262 BA, 6 RBI, 2 HR
- Garrett Atkins: .250 BA, 3 RBI, 2 HR
- Ian Stewart: .333 BA, 10 RBI, 4 HR
- Troy Tulowitzki: .417 BA, 5 RBI, 3 HR
- Carlos Gonzalez: .227 BA, 1 RBI
- Seth Smith: .500 BA, 0 RBI
- Paul Phillips: .412 BA, 5 RBI, 1 HR
- Chris Iannetta: .100 BA, 1 RBI
- Pitcher's Spot: .125 BA, 4 RBI
What is not shown here is the great play by the defense and small-ball play by the offense.
The Rockies' defense showed that they are very good by committing just three errors in the field during this stretch. Two of the three came in the first four games of the streak.
In their 6-4 win over the Mariners Friday night, Ubaldo Jimenez executed a perfect slash bunt by showing bunt and then slapping a base hit right by first baseman Russell Branyan for a base-hit. He moved Ian Stewart to third and hit in Troy Tulowitzki to tie the game at four.
The next batter, Dexter Fowler, came through in the clutch with an amazing bunt in the suicide squeeze play. Ian Stewart slid under the tag to give the Rockies a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning.
By looking at the stats above, you'll see that no player stood out with amazing numbers. However, Ian Stewart was the hero at the beginning of the streak by belting three homers in the first two games of the series against St. Louis.
Stewart was a huge key to get the winning streak started.
Throughout the entire streak, Clint Barmes was an RBI machine. 12 RBI in 10 games is no small feat.
The Rockies offense has shown that they are very talented and can get on base to produce runs. During the streak, the Rockies cumulative batting average was .297, which is nothing short of amazing. It is tough for a team to hit .250, much less .297.
It seems as though the Rockies are finally starting to show what they knew they had during spring training.
Two years ago, after the Rockies had won 11 games in a row, Josh Fogg mentioned that it was not an 11-game winning streak, but it was 11 one-game streaks.
To keep this streak going, the Rockies must not look at these games as one; they must look at all of them individually and not worry about the past.
Yes, how sweet the past can be, but the future looks much sweeter if the Rockies can keep winning consistently.
Again I say, Rockies fans rejoice!
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