Laying the Wood: Rockies finally get a big hit. ... from a pitcher

On Monday afternoon, in a tight Labor Day contest between the Colorado Rockies and the San Francisco Giants, Chad Bettis tossed a decent 5.1 innings, allowing just three runs, all on the production of Denard Span and Joe Panik.

But it wasn’t his work on the mound that was the most noteworthy thing about his day. In the bottom of the fourth inning, with his club down one run, Carlos Gonzalez hit a lead off double but after the next two at-bats found himself standing on third base with the pitcher on the mound. Not ideal.

The Rockies were batting under .150 with runners in scoring position coming into the game and it took the unlikeliest of hitters to come through. Bettis stayed back, determined to hit the ball to the right side, hoping to do exactly what he did; hit a simple single to right field to tie the game.

It wasn’t a huge blast or an especially glorious moment, it was just something Colorado needed. 

VIDEO

Especially considering the most important at-bat of the game ended in a walk — a walk-off walk — it was the biggest hit the Rockies have gotten in a clutch moment in a long time. That isn’t putting the bar very high, but you’ve gotta crawl before you can walk.