DENVER – For a good part of his jog around the bases, Yorvit Torrealba pumped his fist in the air. Now, the Rockies have the World Series in their sights.
The Colorado catcher’s game-deciding, three-run home run in the sixth inning propelled the Rockies to a 4-1 victory at rainy Coors Field. The Rockies have a 3-0 lead in the NLCS and look to clinch a World Series berth tonight.
“It was awesome,” Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes said of the homer. “We were jumping around like little kids in the bullpen.”
Understandable. The Rockies have a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven NLCS, and barring a Mets-like collapse, Colorado will play Game 1 of the World Series in Cleveland or Boston next Wednesday. Colorado never has been to the World Series in its 15-year history.
The only way the Rockies can lose their first shot at a World Series is if they become the second team to lose a playoff series after holding a 3-0 lead. If you live in New York or Boston, you know which team was the first.
After last night’s loss, Diamondbacks star Eric Byrnes said his team was not going to quit. But he also sounded as if it’d take a miracle to beat Colorado.
“I think there’s definitely a possibility that we could do it,” Byrnes said. “Is it going to take a lot of luck in our direction? Absolutely. Is it going to take us playing a lot better than we have? One hundred percent. We need both of those things to happen and if they happen, you never know.”
Tonight in Game 4, the Diamondbacks have rookie righty-hander Micah Owings on the mound. Colorado will pitch another rookie, left-hander Franklin Morales. If the Rockies lose, it will be their first defeat of the postseason.
Colorado continues winning in staggering fashion. The Rockies are 6-0 in the playoffs and have won an amazing 20 of their last 21.
“All our focus is on winning the game [tonight],” said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, taking a game-by-game approach. “If we don’t win the game [tonight], all our focus will be on winning the next one. That’s just the way we’ve gone about our business.”
Torrealba’s homer came in the sixth with the game tied at 1-1 and both teams having failed to take advantage of numerous scoring opportunities. With men on first and second and two outs, Torrealba drilled a full-count pitch from Livan Hernandez over the left-field wall, prompting towel shaking from the 50,137 fans at Coors Field.
Colorado’s pitchers are continuing to shut down Arizona’s struggling offense. The Diamondbacks have scored four runs in three games. Last night, Rockies right-hander Josh Fogg gave up one run in six innings.
“I’ll take the field with Josh Fogg any day of the week,” Rockies MVP candidate Matt Holliday said.
The teams have played 29 innings in this series and Arizona has led for one of them. All the others have been even or the Rockies have been ahead.
“Our offense just isn’t doing anything,” Byrnes said.