The Colorado Rockies opened up their 2013 season with an encouraging series win over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brew Crew may have gotten their due on opening day with a 5-4 comeback win in 10 innings, but the Blake Street “Bullies” (not my coinage, credit goes to Hitting Coach Dante Bichette) took the series with 8-4 and 7-3 wins.
Going on the road is always an uncertain adventure for Colorado, leaning more toward certain loss. The Colorado Rockies lineup came up big with eight home runs in the series from Troy Tulowitzki (2), Carlos Gonzalez (2), Dexter Fowler (2) , Michael Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario. The singles came often and there were several almost homers. The Colorado lineup did what it should with top-10 batters, collectively hitting .328 in the series.
The pitching worked well enough together to suppress the Brewers batters as Jhoulys Chacin pitched six good innings in the season opener. Jorge De La Rosa received the second start and was responsible for all four of the Brewers runs in the second game, still quite rusty from his injuries the past two seasons. Getting the start in the series finale was Juan Nicasio — who just made it through his start — with two earned runs and only two strike outs.
Relief from the bullpen was commendable in their first series of work, though new acquisition Wilton Lopez blew the first game for the Colorado Rockies and couldn’t make it through his appearances unscathed. His role as a set-up man could use some work, but it’s still early and he is supposed to be good for it.
Overall, the first set of games with Walt Weiss running the dugout went well enough, with the players even breaking out a bottle of 2002 Dom Perignon for Weiss’ first managerial win. The Rockies opened on the road and looked a world better than they did in their opening series last season in Houston with Jeremy Guthrie and Jamie Moyer getting the first set of starts and flaming out.
Next up is the San Diego Padres (0-2) for the Colorado Rockies home opener on Friday.
