Arenado and CarGo propel Colorado Rockies offense as bullpen holds on

Tommy Kahnle let out a deep breath. The reliever put a scare into the fanbase of the Colorado Rockies, but ultimately, he struck out Buster Posey with the tying run on base to end the game.

The Rockies hung on to steal a victory at AT&T Park in San Francisco. The late scare could easily have overshadowed what the Rockies had accomplished early in the game. However, what both Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez did in the game couldn’t be forgotten.

Arenado, introducing himself to the baseball world in 2015, did it again. He got the Rockies on the board in the 6th inning when he drilled a Tim Hudson fastball deep into the left field seats with two men on, giving the Rockies a 3-1 lead. It was the 21st home run of the season for the Rockies third basemen.

Rockies starter Chad Bettis was good in the game, but the Giants were able to scratch a few runs off of him. Bettis was unable to hold on to the 3-1 advantage, giving up two runs in the 6th inning to knot the game at three. That is when Carlos Gonzalez showed that his hand isn’t hurting anymore. With two-on and two-out, the Giants turned to Javier Lopez, a tough lefty, to face CarGo. Lefties were hitting under .100 against Lopez coming into the game. That didn’t seem to face Gonzalez, as he drilled a pitch down the right field line to score a run and put two in scoring position. Ben Paulsen then singled against the shift to score two more. Up 6-3, the Rockies were suddenly in control.

Anyone who watches baseball games regularly in San Francisco knows that the Giants are a team that doesn’t quit. There is no time when they will roll over and accept losing. With that in mind, what happened next was very important. Arenado, the newest member of the superstar elite class in baseball, drilled his second home run of the game in the top of the 9th inning. It came after Gonzalez tripled with two outs and scored on a pitch that went to the backstop. Arenado now has 22 home runs, 13 of which have come on the road.

CarGo would finish the night with five hits including his triple in the 9th inning. It was a performance that continued his torrid June pace that has helped revive his season.

The Rockies are a team that is tough to predict. They are good enough to win 85 games, but they are also bad enough to lose 100 games. It all depends on how well they are playing and with what mentality they are playing with.

While the Rockies have a ton of room to grow, something is becoming clear. Arenado is the type of player who can lift the entire team onto his shoulders and carry them. He isn’t just a leader with his energy, he leads the way with his competitiveness. He doesn’t seem to be fazed by the altitude difference between home and road. His game doesn’t change when he goes on the road. Anyone who thinks that Arenado is a Coors Field creation needs to watch a few more baseball games. Arenado is as good as anyone. If he isn’t the All-Star Game starter in 2015, he will be in the future. This guy can flat play and he isn’t going anywhere

For Gonzalez, much is the same. He is good enough to carry the entire team. However, his early season struggles really hurt the Rockies. This team relies on Gonzalez to do something special and help the team win baseball games. Recording five hits in a game and scoring three runs is certainly something.

Friday night was another example of who the Rockies can be if everything comes together well. When their offense is on, there isn’t a better team in baseball. When their young pitchers do their job, they have a chance to win every game.

It has become extremely fun to watch the Rockies and the Giants play in 2015. Even with a late five-run lead, it felt like the Giants weren’t going to quit. For fans with any rooting interest in either team, almost all of the games between the two teams have been nailbiters. If the Rockies can bring that intensity into other games, they will be a decent team.

If Nolan Arenado can continue at this pace, and Carlos Gonzalez can continue to break out of his early slump, the Rockies will win plenty of baseball games.