» Rockies Win Game 3, Stranglehold on NL Pennant?

Rockies Win Game 3, Stranglehold on NL Pennant?

The Colorado Rockies extended their incredible streak to 20 wins in 21 games. Rockies starter Josh Fogg spread out 7 Arizona hits while giving up just 1 run in 6 innings of work, catcher Yorvit Torrealba provided the offensive punch breaking up a 1-1 tie with a three run 6th inning homer off of Diamondbacks’ starter Livan Hernandez and the bullpen trio of lefthanders Jeremy Affeldt and Brian Fuentes and closer Manny Corpas locked down the Diamondbacks allowing them only 1 hit and 1 baserunner over the final 3 innings as Colorado took a commanding 3-0 game lead in the NLCS with a 4-1 win.

Torrealba’s two out 6th inning blast broke up a tight pitching duel between Hernandez and Fogg in which Colorado scored first, in the bottom of the 1st on leftfielder Matt Holliday’s 2 out solo homer to leftfield off of Hernandez. Diamondbacks’ 3rd baseman Mark Reynolds answered with a 2 out solo shot to leftfield off of Fogg to tie the game in the 4th inning.

Incidentally, the Diamondbacks’ bullpen also held the Rockies offense giving up but 1 hit in 2 1/3 innings while walking two, but it was too late — the damage, Torrealba’s 3 run shot had already been struck.

MLB.com’s Thomas Harding records Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba’s perspective on the Rockies’ late season ride;

Torrealba grew up in Venezuela listening as his dad told stories of baseball’s greatest teams. Little did he know he’d be living what could end up one of the greatest hot streaks ever.

From a historical context, a team going at least 20-1 after Sept. 1 has been accomplished just three times in history. But the 1916 New York Giants, 1935 Cubs and 1977 Royals didn’t win the World Series. That fact relegates them to bar trivia, rather than bedtime stories.

(trivia: The ‘77 Royals called up a catcher named Clint Hurdle, now the Rockies’ manager, for his first nine Major League games.)

The Rockies, however, joined two teams of legend — the 1970 Orioles and the 1976 Reds, both of whom steamed through the World Series — as the only ones to start a postseason 6-0. Colorado swept the Phillies in three games in the NL Division Series.

“My dad used to tell me about those teams … but this is something. What can I say? That’s crazy,” said Torrealba, whose homer came on a tense, seven-pitch at-bat with two outs and the count full. “It’s amazing.”

That’s about as close as any of the Rockies came to embracing their place in history.

AP sports writer Arnie Stapleton records comments as to how the Rockies will approach Monday’s possible pennant clincer for Yahoo sports;

The Colorado Rockies were one strike away from not even making the playoffs. Now, they’re one win away from their first World Series.

With a cold rain falling, Josh Fogg shut down Arizona’s bats in his first postseason start and Yorvit Torrealba hit a tiebreaking three-run homer to fuel the Rockies’ 4-1 victory Sunday night in Game 3 of the NL championship series.

“Tomorrow we’re going to come here just like we have been doing,” Torrealba said. “We’re going to relax, watch TV, and when it’s time to play, we’re going to try to get one more win.”

And not think about their first World Series until then.

“No, no, no, no, I’m not thinking about that,” insisted the face of the franchise, Todd Helton, whose decade of disappointment has disappeared in one of the most incredible winning streaks in baseball history.

“We’re still focused on the task at hand.”

About two weeks ago, the Rockies had no control over whether they’d even make the playoffs.

The San Diego Padres could’ve eliminated Colorado on the final Saturday of the regular season. But Milwaukee’s Tony Gwynn Jr. hit a tying, two-out, two-strike triple off San Diego’s Trevor Hoffman that gave the Rockies a chance.

The next day, Colorado caught the Padres. The night after that, the Rockies beat San Diego in a 13-inning, NL wild-card tiebreaker.

Since then, the Rockies have been unbeatable.

For the boxscore and recap on Sunday’s NLCS game, click here.

The Rockies can put the NL pennant away with a win in game 4 on Monday as two rookies oppose each other. Diamondbacks’ Micah Owings (8-8) is slated to go against Rockies young lefthander Franklin Morales (3-2).

The ALCS resumes on Monday in Cleveland as the Red Sox and Indians are knotted at one game apiece. Boston’s rookie Japanese phenom Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12) is opposed by Jake Westbrook (6-9).

For the scores, boxscores and recaps on Monday’s games, click here.