--3B Ian Stewart, who played in only 17 games when he was up for a month early in the season, has emerged among the top rookie hitters in the National League since his July 19 return to the Rockies. Stewart has received the bulk of the playing time at third base in his second callup. He was leading NL rookies in hitting at .299, on-base percentage at .396 and slugging percentage at .522 going into Friday's game against the Astros. He also was fourth in doubles with 16, tied for fourth with nine home runs, tied for fifth with 40 RBI, sixth in walks with 27, and shared the third longest hitting streak of 10 games with San Diego LF Chase Headley.
--With the Rockies still on the edges of the NL West race, and with an off day in every week this month, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle has no real pressure to slip a sixth starter into the rotation in the final weeks of the season. "I think we have kept the arms fresh," said manager Clint Hurdle. "The big challenge later in the season in fatigue and that is where you can get hurt. We've been careful." --RHP Greg Reynolds was officially added to the Rockies' roster on Friday. Reynolds was among the minor-league call ups, but the Rockies delayed activating him until Friday because he had started on Monday and needed the time off before he could be used in a game.
--The Rockies are 21-16 against the NL Central, the only division against which they have a winning record. The Rockies, 7-8 in inter-league play, are 15-18 against the NL East with three games remaining in Atlanta next week, and 24-33 against the NL West with 15 games remaining.
BY THE NUMBERS: 91 -- Stolen bases for Willy Taveras (66) and Matt Holliday (25) in the first 142 games of the season, a Rockies' single season record. The previous record was 85 by Eric Young (53) and Ellis Burks (32) in 1996.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's been straightforward. Three weeks ago he was fatigued and he told us. This isn't health. This is not being very good." -- Rockies manager Clint Hurdle on RHP Aaron Cook, who has one quality start in his last six.
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