Rockies Lose Opener in Toronto

     The Rockies lost to the Toronto Blue Jays by a final score of 2-0 in a good old fashioned pitchers duel at the Rogers Centre. Jorge De La Rosa tossed seven innings of one hit baseball but was unable to secure his eighth win on the season because the Rockies offense was equally outmatched by Josh Johnson of the Blue Jays. Johnson went 7 1/3rd innings allowing five hits and striking out 10. Neither pitcher factored into the decision and the game was ultimately left in the hands of the bullpen. Brett Cecil came in and finished the eighth inning and picked up the victory for the Blue Jays improving his season record to 3-0. Matt Belisle came in for relief of De La Rosa in the eighth inning and struggled as he gave up two runs on two hits and walked a batter. He gave up the game winning two RBI single to Maicer Izturis which was all that the Jays needed on the night. Belisle is now 4-4 on the year.

     The bullpen has been showing signs of fatigue in the last few weeks and it is beginning to show on the field. The starting pitchers need to control the strike zone better and be able to work later into the game. If they continue to throw five or six innings each time out then the bullpen will be out of gas by the middle of August and the Rockies chance to make a run at the playoffs will be significantly lower. Perhaps a veteran like Roy Oswalt could be an example to the younger pitchers on the team and teach them how to work deeper into the games. Oswalt has been a workhorse throughout his career excluding the last couple of years when he battled injuries. He may not be as young and dominant as he once was but I guarantee you that he still has the mental edge and know how to be able to teach the Rockies young staff how to win and how to get deeper into the games so they can save the bullpen from getting overworked.

     Game two of the series against the Blue Jays will take place on Tuesday night at 5:07 PM Mountain time. Jeff Francis will be taking on former Rockies pitcher Esmil Rogers. The Rockies will be looking to spark some offense and blow the roof off of the Rogers Centre.