Rockies wins buy rest for injured players
| September 10, 2009 | 10:45 AM
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The Colorado Rockies’ come-from-behind 4-3 win Wednesday against the Cincinnati Reds not only moved the team a full four games ahead of the Giants and to within 2 1/2 games of the division-leading Dodgers. It likely allowed Troy Tulowitzki and Ian Stewart, both suffering from back injuries, to get another day of rest before the Rockies leave town on a nine-game road trip to San Diego, San Francisco and Arizona.
Tulowitzki has said he is targeting the three-game series against the Giants, which starts Monday, to be 100 percent healthy. He and Stewart likely will rest again in Thursday’s series finale against the Reds and return to the lineup Friday against the Padres. Another Rockies win, however, could buy each player another day of rest in San Diego.
With Jose Contreras on the mound in the finale against the Reds, the extra rest comes as a huge bonus. Although Contreras was very good in his Rockies debut last Saturday, the team still doesn’t know for certain what to expect from the right-hander. If he were to get into long innings with deep counts and plenty of baserunners, the last the Rockies want to see is infielders with bad backs standing around.
In the Rockies’ past two wins, Tulowitzki’s replacement has been the offensive spark. Eric Young Jr., who has been in the lineup at second base with Clint Barmes shifting to shortstop, scored two of the Rockies’ three runs in a 3-1 win Tuesday and scored the Rockies’ first run Wednesday.
The strong performance against the Reds also could buy some time for Ubaldo Jimenez, who is scheduled to start Saturday against the Padres. His start could be pushed back to the Giants series. As the rotation currently stands, neither Jimenez nor Jason Marquis is in line to start against the Giants, who will offer up the same three starters — Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Matt Cain — they used to sweep the Rockies last month.
Journals, Sports, Steve Foster
colorado rockies, eric young jr., ian stewart, troy tulowitzki, ubaldo jimenez
