The man from Defiance, OH has been none too good against the Rockies in his six appearances (four starts). In 23 2/3 IP, he owns a 6.46 ERA, and has allowed 17 runs on 31 hits and 17 walks. He's also allowed four home runs.

Our guy from Vancouver, British Columbia has gone 5-2 in his 12 games against the Dodgers and sports a 2.69 ERA in 77 IP. In the NL West, he's done his best against the Dodgers.

Go Rockies!

Happy birthday, Todd Helton! You turned 35 today, and all you got was still being on the DL. Kind of sucks, doesn't it? All right, I guess you'll get a bit more than just a continued stay on the DL for his birthday. You also received a comparison to Don Mattingly.

Also in that link:

Outfielder Ryan Spilborghs, out since July 9 with a strained left oblique muscle, will begin a rehab assignment Wednesday in Triple-A Colorado Springs. Spilborghs has been able to swing without pain. He's likely to be recalled in September when rosters expand. "Hopefully I go down there and go 5-for-5 in my first game and show I am ready," Spilborghs said with a smile. With Willy Taveras' future next season uncertain, Spilborghs should get plenty of playing time next month even if Olympian Dexter Fowler gets a likely audition.

Who hasn't missed Spilly?

Ian Stewart, who would have played college ball for USC had he not signed with the Rockies, went to a USC football practice on Monday. Seth Smith accompanied him. Now let's work on getting Seth Smith (and the other Rockies) a championship ring since the guy he backed up already has a one in another sport.

Two different focal points in the recaps from last night's game: the emerging Ian Stewart and the red-hot Brad Hawpe. Either way, it all amounts to a Rockies victory.

Miscellaneous: Rox Girl does a team-by-team review of the minor league system over at her RMN blog, but I'm sure we'll go a bit more in-depth here once the minor league seasons end (playoffs included).

The Springs, L 4-5 in 10 innings: Scott Podsednik collected two hits, stole a base, scored once, and drove in one in another game for the Sky Sox. His on-again-off-again teammate Cory Sullivan hit two doubles and drove in two runs.

Jason Hirsh allowed four runs over seven innings, walked two, and struck out five. Juan Morillo came in and pitched solid eighth, allowing two hits and no runs. Unfortunately, Matt Daley surrendered a homer in the bottom of the 10th to Salt Lake's Bobby Wilson to lose the game.

Tulsa, L 4-5: Chaz Roe allowed four runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out five. He allowed two home runs (a two-run and a solo). Ryan Mattheus allowed a homer in the top of the ninth, which turned out to be the winning run.

Tony Blanco, Daniel Carte, Justin Nelson, and Gary Cates each had two hits. Nelson drove in two and Cates knocked in one.

Modesto, L 4-11: Wins have been rare lately for the Nuts, and last night was no exception. Simon Ferrer allowed seven runs in 4 1/3 innings, walked three, and struck out six. Chris Malone gave up three more over the next 1 1/3 innings. James Burok struck out five over the last 3 1/3 innings of the game.

Daniel Mayora hit a three-run homer in the third inning, but then the run scoring died. Brian VanderBeek tells us a bit about Modesto's newest player, Angel Cabrera, and that the July 24 game that was cancelled will be made up only if necessary to complete the playoff picture.

Asheville, W 10-6: It was a big night for 6-8 in the lineup. Helder Velazquez went 4-for-5 with three runs, Kevin Clark drove in two (one on a solo homer), and David Christen went 2-for-3 with five RBI and a homer. The homer was a two-run shot.

Bruce Billings allowed two runs on six hits and a walk in seven innings. He struck out six. Edgmer Escalona allowed the other four runs, but Ethan Katz held things down in the ninth.

Tri-City, W 8-4: Charlie Blackmon and Jordan Pacheco both hit their first homers of the season last night. Blackmon's, a solo shot, led off the eighth inning, and Pacheco's was a two-run shot with two outs in the eighth. The Dust Devils also had a big fourth inning. Leonardo Reyes had a two-run double, then scored a little bit later on a fielding error on a Ryan Peisel-hit ball, and Blackmon singled in Thomas Field. Pacheco had a sac fly in the sixth.

Juan Nicasio pitched four innings and allowed two runs. Brad McAtee was charged for two runs in 1/3 of an inning, but both runs scored while Hector Luna pitched. J.R. Murphy struck out five in two innings, and Sean Jarrett struck out two over the final two innings of the game.

Casper, W 9-1: Delta Cleary and Alex Feinberg both drove in three runs. Feinberg joined WIlin Rosario in the doubles category with two each.

Dan Houston had one of his best starts this season by going six innings and allowing an unearned run on five hits and two walks. He struck out five. Kurt Yacko struck out three to complete the ninth.

With what do the Rockies follow their three-game sweep of the Nats? Find out tonight!

Go Rockies!

So the Rockies get to face Manny and the Dodgers. Ramirez has been on fire since joining LA:

A little Ubaldo Jimenez should shut Manny down today. But Manny isn't the only new face around on the Dodgers. Or maybe it's better to say, another  new face with the Dodgers is also an old face. The Dodgers have reportedly re-acquired former Dodger Greg Maddux from the Padres for two players to be named. Maddux, if the deal doesn't somehow dissipate, will take Brad Penny's spot in the rotation.

Kip Wells should join the Royals soon, as he became a free agent yesterday. How does he turn out for the Royals?

Patrick Saunders looks at Chris Iannetta's season so far, and he wants to convince everyone that there shouldn't be any "Helton has to go" discussions.

Olympics: Dexter Fowler discusses what's been going on lately with the team in his journal.

The Springs, W 9-0: Oscar Villarreal made his Sky Sox debut, walking five and striking out four in four innings. He did not allow a hit. Thirty-three of the his 66 pitches went for strikes. Mark Redman held Salt Lake to no hits, but did walk three. Matt Daley allowed a hit in the eighth, but that was the only hit Salt Lake managed in the game. Cedrick Bowers struck out two in the ninth.

Humberto Cota accounted for most of the offense last night, going 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI. The homers were both of the two-run variety. Scott Podsednik went 2-for-3 with an RBI, a SB, and was picked off.

Tulsa, L 9-12: The Drillers had been leading 9-4 before a disaster of an eighth inning occurred. Andrew Johnston had pitched in the seventh and came back out for the eighth. He allowed three runs and Edward Valdez allowed five more in the inning.

Keith Weiser, who started, went six innings and allowed four runs.

Chris Nelson collected three hits (including a double), scored twice, and drove in two runs. He stole his sixth base, and EY Jr. (who scored three times) stole bases 40 and  41. The other Nelson, Justin, had two doubles and two RBI. Daniel Carte also recorded two hits and an RBI. Tony Blanco added three more RBI to his total, now at 84.

Tulsa begins its final homestand of the season tonight.

Modesto, L 3-5 in 10 innings: Tommy Baumgardner allowed a homer to Andrew Locke in the top of the 10th and an RBI double later in the inning to end the tie. Aneury Rodriguez went 6 1/3 innings, allowed two runs, and struck out six. Andy Graham finished the seventh inning, but David Patton wound up allowing an unearned run after a throwing error (that, had it not been, would have ended the inning) and an RBI ground-rule double.

Lino Garcia had three of Modesto's 11 hits. Kane Simmons and Mike Paulk had two hits each. Simmons stole his first base for Modesto.

Asheville, W 7-6: Shane Lindsay got one of those "quality starts" by allowing three runs in six innings. Those three runs all came in the fourth on a homer. He allowed four hits, walked two, and struck out six. Randall Taylor had a tough go last night, as he allowed two runs on four hits. He only recorded one out. Matthew Reynolds picked up his second save.

Brian Rike's RBI double in the fourth, Mike Mitchell's RBI single in the fifth, Kevin Clark's two-run double in the sixth, a run-scoring wild pitch in the sixth, and Helder Velazquez's two-run double in the eight led the Tourists to victory. Mitchell stole his 52nd base and Kevin Clark took two to reach 21.

Tri-City: Off.

Casper, L 3-7: Tyler Massey hit his first professional homer, and Zack Murry collected two hits and two RBI.

Edwar Cabrera pitched a stong five innings, allowing an unearned run on five hits and striking out five. Brandon Dill and Brandon Walker then allowed three runs each in the sixth and seventh innings. Walker allowed those three runs on two homers.

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