Dahl, Desmond the saviors of Saturday night's Rockies win

(Source: MLB.com Video; Trevor Story for the Colorado Rockies)

Ian Desmond saved the night for the Colorado Rockies by walking on a 3-2 count on Saturday in a 9-5 win over the Atlanta Braves.

Rockies outfielder David Dahl started the top of the ninth inning by hitting a double to left center field.

After a Ryan McMahon strikeout, Braves pitcher A.J. Minter committed a wild pitch, allowing Dahl to go to third.

Raimel Tapia then struck out and slammed his bat on the dirt area near home plate. Two outs.

Then Desmond came to the plate. It was three balls and one strike. The next pitch was a called strike.

I thought the game was over at that point.

The pitch was on the outer half of the plate to the right handed hitting Desmond that it probably should have been ball four. But the umpire called it strike two.

So Desmond took another pitch and that was ball four, a walk. The Rockies had baserunners on first and third.

After a walk on four straight to Drew Butera, the bases were loaded.

Charlie Blackmon came to the plate and hit a two-run double to right field.

Rockies lead 6-5.

Then Trevor Story came to the plate.

I told the people I was watching the game with that he should hit a home run right here. That comment was a joke while at the same time it was serious. A three-run home run would effectively end the game and give the Rockies a win.

Trevor Story could have just hit the ball and put it into play.

He could have just hit a single.

But Story decided to hit a three-run bomb to left field.

It cleared the fence easily and Story hit a solo home run on Friday night (and a Rockies victory) as well.

Rockies closer Wade Davis saved the game in the bottom of the ninth after allowing a leadoff walk to Braves infielder Josh Donaldson.

This Rockies team found a way to win on Saturday night.

Ian Desmond I believe in a previous season would have struck out and that would have ended the game for the Rockies.

He came through when it counted most. That’s the kind of thing I’m looking forward to in the rest of the baseball season for any team. Not just the Rockies.

And Drew Butera knew he couldn’t swing at anything otherwise the game and maybe his career would be over.

So Blackmon came through.

And for some reason, I think the Rockies are going to win today (Sunday).

Colorado comes in with a record of 13-14 while Atlanta is now 12-14.

Tyler Anderson (0-2, 12.00 ERA) is taking the mound for the Rockies. He has given up 16 runs in 12 innings pitched this season. The Rockies are 1-2 in games he has pitched in this season.

He should lose today’s game with the way he has pitched all season.

But this Rockies team I think is about ready to explode and prove all of the doubters wrong. They have won ten games and have lost just two games within the past two calendar weeks.

They haven’t swept a three game series all season. Is today going to be the day?

There’s no reason to think this team is going to miss the playoffs in 2019 just because they lost a few players to free agency.

This team might even finish better than last year.

You know one reason how I know that?

Nolan Arenado.

He signed a contract extension to stick around with a team that has effectively done nothing in the playoffs except appear in the 2007 World Series.

And the Rockies informed Charlie Blackmon that playing right field instead of center field is going to help them win more games.

I think they are probably going to be right about that.

Why?

Blackmon doesn’t physically look like a typical Major League player.

And the Rockies don’t want Blackmon running all over the place. He can make the routine plays, but it’s difficult for him to make the outstanding plays at times in center field and especially at Coors Field.

Will Saturday’s ninth inning explosion have been too much for the Rockies today?

Maybe.

Probably not.

Probably yes in some other ways.