Rockies-Reds: Small Ball Helps Rockies Get Past Reds

Ubaldo Jimenez had one bad inning and was bailed out by a great defensive play by Clint Barmes, but the Rockies rallied on an eighth inning home run off the bat of Ian Stewart. Stewart had been a strikeout victim his first three times at the plate but got redemption when he swung at the first pitch he saw from reliever Carlos Fisher. The blast came an inning after the Rockies had rallied for two runs to tie the score in the previous inning. The seventh inning was a classic example of the different mentality that this Rockies club has that has helped them win games. Even with their ace Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound, they needed a little bit of small ball to help them with this game. In the seventh inning Eric Young Jr. led off the inning with a pinch hit bunt single. Carlos Gonzalez then worked a walk to get men on first and second base with no one out. Up to the plate strolled Seth Smith, quite possibly the hottest hitter in baseball over the past 10 days. Everyone in the park wa...