If Jim Tracy needed to make his final 25-man roster for the Colorado Rockies this week, Esmil Rogers would clearly be the top choice for the final spot in the rotation. In the Rockies 4-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs, Rogers faced the minimum 15 batters in five innings of work, struck out three batters and needed only 60 pitches to do so. He did allow one hit in the second inning to Carlos Pena. However, Pena tried to stretch it into a double, which allowed the relay from Carlos Gonzalez to Hernan Iribarren to get the out at second base. He was out by 15 feet, according to Purple Row's Andrew Fisher, who was at the game.
Offensively, the Rockies were held to four hits, three off of starter Randy Wells. The runs scored on a fourth-inning sac fly by Todd Helton, a fifth-inning sacrifice fly by Rogers that wound up scoring two when Alfonso Soriano made an errant throw and a Wilin Rosario RBI ground out in the bottom of the eighth.
While Matt Belisle, Matt Lindstrom, and Huston Street kept the Cubs off the board after Rogers left the game, Edgmer Escalona was unable to follow suit. After a strikeout to start the inning, Escalona gave up a single and a double to set up men in scoring position. A sac fly scored the first run and a double scored the second. The game ended on a strikeout.
Ian Stewart will play in tomorrow's game against the Rangers to help him get ready in time to start Opening Day.