Rampaging Rockies on verge

DENVER - You can add, "winning in conditions that only LL Bean would love" to the ways in which the Colorado Rockies continue to confound and amaze while moving closer to what a month ago would have been unthinkable: the World Series.

Playing in dreary, drizzly, appendage-numbing weather before 50,137 shivering, wet, towel-waving fans at Coors Field, the Rockies continued their relentless, remarkable roll through the postseason with a 4-1 victory over the dazed and confused Diamondbacks. Colorado, winners of a mere nine straight and 20 of 21, can earn a sweep of Arizona and a berth in the World Series with a victory here tonight in Game 4.

It was another night of pitching, defense and, in a new twist, a three-run homer for the Rockies. Catcher Yorvit Torrealba broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with a three-run shot off loser Livan Hernandez, who was making his 11th postseason start. Earlier, Matt Holliday had gone deep with a solo shot, the first homer of the series.

Arizona had its chances, but was doomed by the double-play ball early and by the good-enough-to-get-the-job-done offerings of winner Josh Fogg, who pitched the first six innings, mixing things up and yielding only a homer to Mark Reynolds. Fogg turned things over to the ever-reliable Rockies bullpen, which finished off the Diamondbacks with a flawless final three innings.

The Diamondbacks have been defanged by the Rockies' pitchers, not that we are dealing with the 1927 Yankees. But Arizona did score 16 runs in sweeping the Cubs in three games, batting .266 and cranking out six homers and 11 extra-base hits. In three games against the Rockies, the Diamondbacks have scored four runs and have only five extra-base hits. Last night, they had a runner on base in seven of the first eight innings.

It was a dark and stormy - OK, miserable - night to be playing baseball. The game-time temperature was 43 degrees. There was a steady rain - in Ireland, they'd call it a "fine mist" - and the grounds crew had to bring out the rakes and the sandbags at the end of each inning. The faithful who filled Coors Field did so adorned in slickers, ponchos, and all matters Gore-Tex. The weather was a hot topic for pregame conversation, with the Diamondbacks' Tony Clark asking, "what elements? They have to play in it too."

Colorado was simply elated to be home, regardless of the conditions. The rampaging Rockies played exactly one game at Coors since they defeated San Diego in the 163d game (a tiebreaker) of the season just to get into the playoffs. The have been lights-out at Coors (where there was a brief blackout in Game 3) for awhile; since June 2, they had won 39 of 54 games at home.

"We just have redefined ourselves and found a very good comfort zone," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We don't think we're going to lose here until we lose. And I know it sounds silly, but until the umps walk off, we're playing and we're planning on winning."

The Rockies' improbable run has had its share of luck; who knows if Holliday touched home for the winning run in the tiebreaker against San Diego? "They've had a little luck go their way," said Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes. "Definitely the ball has bounced in their direction."

It bounced Colorado's way in the first three innings, too, as the Rockies ended three Arizona threats with double plays. In the previous two games, the Diamondbacks had hit into two double plays, total.

In the first inning last night, Chris Young and Stephen Drew reached on singles and then Byrnes - booed constantly - hit a bullet up the middle, right into the glove of pitcher Fogg. In the second and third, inning-ending double plays came via the more conventional 4-6-3 route, with shortstop Troy Tulowitzki getting a generous call on a pivot in one of them.

Meanwhile, National League MVP candidate Holliday jumped on a 1-and-0 slider from Hernandez in the first inning with two down and sent it 382 feet into the left-field stands for a 1-0 Colorado lead. It represented the first round-tripper by either team in the pitching-dominated series. It was the first homer for Colorado since Kaz Matsui's fourth-inning grand-slam against the Phillies in Game 2 of the Division Series.

The Rockies then missed a chance to add to their lead in the third. Torrealba led off with a booming double to center; the home run fireworks briefly ignited, mistakenly believing it was a homer. Fogg then drew a walk even though he was trying to bunt Torrealba to third. Willy Taveras did bunt, but Torrealba was out at third on a close play.

Arizona evened it up in the fourth. With two outs, Reynolds absolutely crushed a hanging curve 422 feet into the left-field seats. The Diamondbacks clubbed six homers against the Cubs in their first-round sweep, two apiece by Drew and Young.

Colorado finally broke through the junk-pitching Hernandez in the sixth, scoring three times to take a 4-1 lead. Todd Helton led off with a single and, one out later, moved to second on a Brad Hawpe single. After Hernandez caught Tulowitzki looking, Torrealbadrilled a 3-and-2 delivery on a line, 402 feet into the left-field seats. After another single by pinch-hitter Jeff Baker, Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin had seen enough of Hernandez.