tulowitzki-troyThe Rockies are cruisin’ again, but yesterday’s win over the Cincinnati Reds was costly. The team’s come-from-behind, 4-3 victory came on third baseman Ian Stewart’s bat, but his eighth-inning, solo home run wasn’t the story of the game.

Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (pictured) left the game in the seventh inning after tying the score at 3-3 with a single (via The Denver Post). The star shortstop apparently injured his lower back during the hit and is listed as day-to-day.

Pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez, who’s been emerging as one of the team’s stars of late, tweaked his left hamstring after scoring a run from third base. Jimenez says he expects to make his next start, but Tulo may miss a couple games.

Meanwhile, a positive vibe has overtaken the Rockies’ newest addition, Jason Giambi. Last week fans greeted Giambi’s first Coors Field appearance September 2 with a roar. It seems, as Tracy Ringolsby writes for Fox Sports, that whatever the reasons behind his departure from Oakland, Giambi has sparked the Rockies’ offense simply by showing up.

The addition of Giambi as a more-than-viable threat to hit off the bench late in games has allowed manager Jim Tracy to start wunderkind Seth Smith more often.

Smith has proven to be a fantastic pinch-hitter and leads the majors with a .458 pinch-hitting average. But he’s exploded as a starter, going 13-34 with three walks, five doubles, 10 runs batted in, and four home runs in just six games. The guy is a horse, and the addition of the aging Giambi has allowed him to come out of the stable. Giddy up.