Peavy is on the mound, vs. Josh Fogg - let's get this party started!

I was surprised to realize how excited I was for this game. I lived in Denver when the Rockies played their first season, and went to many, many games over the years. Oddly enough, I like this version of the Rockies much better than the Blake Street Bombers. There was just something kind of lazy about waiting for the offense to bang in homers.

Fogg is up first, facing Brian Giles. It's nice to see Coors full.

Giles dinks one into the infield and he's out at first.

Man, those are some futuristing-looking Pads unis. Being of the east coast bias, I haven't seen much of them.

Fogg induces Hairson to whiff, and he has his first strikeout.

I like Kouzmanoff - the Macedonian Masher. The Coors crowd is on their feet, which they should have been already.

Kouz knocks one in as Hawpe can't get to it in the outfield.

My son just shouted "He has forty-five doubles!" from the bathtub. I must have the volume up too loud.

Whoa, Hurdle "likes being around these young guys".

Fogg recovers from a 3-0 count to put a strike past Gonzalez, then G-man fouls it off, and it's time for the payoff pitch.

I'd really like to hear more noise from the Colorado fans, but perhaps that thin air is getting to them.

ANOTHER K FOR FOGG!!!! That's one stranded and the Pads are retired.

I've always felt like Lipitor would be a great name for a villain on He-Man.

I don't think I'll be doing the time stamp tonight - maybe I'll just go by innings.

Bottom of the First

Here's Peavy, he likes to announce his presence with authority. He's facing Kaz Matsui to start the bottom of the inning.

Matsui blips one into the outfield and ends up with a stand-up double. That brings up my man Tulowitzki, he of the unassisted triple play, and numerous other feats of note.

What a great season for a rookie shortstop. He's the complete package, he plays great at the plate and in the field.

Tulo's mired in a mini-slump, so let's see if he can solve Peavy. Yep, he slaps one over the mound, and moves Matsui to third!

We're reminded that these stats count for the regular season. They also count for my fantasy league, so I'm still on pins and needles waiting to see if I finish in the money this year.

Still nobody out for the home team, and Peavy's having to throw more pitches than he wants to - he ends up walking Holliday to load the bases. Yikes.

Whoa! Sager's been to the Goodwill! That's a COSBY Sweater! Actually, a broad striped suit and busy tie. Wow.

I hadn't seen Helton with the bushy Van Dyke. That's a very cro-magnon kind of look for him.

Helton blasts one to the wall to drive in a run, nice sacrifice from the veteran.

Only one out and Atkins at the plate. He's on a hot streak, and has his average up to .299

Wow, everyone's getting wood on Peavy. Looks like I was an idiot to leave him in in my fantasy league. But as a Rox fan, I'm happy. That's two runs in, with only one out. Rockies up two in the bottom of the first. Kouz gets to the Hawpe foul ball and that's two out.

Ryan Spilborghs gets one up, but he's out. Rox end the first inning up two, and doing a great job of getting on base against the Pads ace.

Top of Second

Kahlil Greene looks like the kind of guy who would have a pizza delivered to Mr. Hand's class.

Sam said...
Whoa, Hurdle "likes being around these young guys"

Well there's something I need to tell you: I'm Chris Hansen with Dateline NBC...

Fogg gets his third K already - he's on tonight.

It's so interesting to see it still daylight in Denver - it's pitch black outside my window.

I'm betting Pittsburgh fans are just slapping their heads watching Fogg pitch well in Coors, saying "where was this guy before?"

Noce said...
I can't believe the Padres wore their "dirty laundry" uniforms tonight

They do have that certain grayish tint, don't they?

Bard is up, and he smacks one into left to get on base.

Two out, and Atkins digs out a sharply hit ball to send the Pads to the field again.

Mike Georger said...
i like the broadcast thus far, simplistic, good job of letting us know how the players have been doing down the stretch, not trying to be clever.
i dont want to jinx it, but we could be looking at a network that is focused on broadcasting baseball instead of making baseball as sideshow

Bite your tongue, sir! Do you think people will drop by daily for "Surprisingly Tasteful and Restrained Announcing"? Why, it won't even fit on the masthead! Seriously, though. I like it too.

And so does evan:

Evan said...
Wow, already, MLB sure gains a lot of cachet relative to the other sports by having nothing to do with ESPN for its playoffs. This is great!


Bottom of the second

Peavy lets one go to Torrealba and it's a Home Run! I'm still waiting to hear raucous crowd noise in Denver, but maybe they aren't drunk enough yet - they just got off work.

A bat sails into the stands and completely fails to hit Woody Paige. Damn.

Peavy finally gets a K by striking out Fogg - not exactly what he was hoping for, but he'll take it at this point.

Here's Matsui up again. He can't leg out a single - two down

Troy Trever Tulowitzki to the plate - I call him T3. He strikes out, and Peavy gets a reprievey.

are the Rockies still full of Bible Thumpers?

odessasteps said...

No, they're full of baseball thumpers! Damn, that was bad. Actually, I have no idea. I thought Helton was a Hindu, actually.

Top of the Third

Another bat in the stands, and Paige escapes again - there's a fracas in the stands over the bat, and a fan gets doused with beer. Taste the Rockies, son.

Peavy gets on base! How does a pitcher get one by Tulo?

I love good nicknames, and I'm going to give Dragonslayer points for originality, even though it sounds more fit for ye olde Renaissance Faire than baseball.

These announcers really are a joy to behear. Totally unobtrusive, and really attempting to inject interesting tidbits at the right moments. Kudos, TBS.

Hairston is back up, with two on and none out. He drops one in right on a broken-bat single. It drops in front of Hawpe - we've seen that before. But that space in the outfield is working for both teams.

Kouz is back up. He gets one up there and the relay is bobbled - Holliday proves the announcer's earlier point by conceding the run but going for the out - nice analysis, very timely.

Whew, Gonzalez bashes a grand slam! And that puts a whole new face on this game - Padres 4, Rockies 3.

Suddenly Fogg is falling apart, as he gives up another base hit to Greene. To think, Peavy got this rally started after looking terrible on the mound. I guess you take them where you can get them.

Bard knocks a double into left, it goes over Atkins' head, and now the Pads have runners on second and third with only one out. Fogg walks the next batter intentionally.

Here comes Brady Clark with bases loaded, and he knocks one in - Greene scores and Matsui fails to turn the double play. The Padres have gone through the order and now Peavy's back at the plate with two out.

Finally the Coors wine-and-cheese crowd stands up and gets behind Fogg. That took long enough. There still appear to be some people in the front rows who are more interested in their micro-brews than the game.

Matsui makes an easy catch to retire the side - finally.

Awful Announcing- said...
Let's Go Rockies! Also, if you get more comments than me E I'll treat you to Outback!

Oct 1, 2007 8:21:00 PM


Sam said...
i remember harold reynolds saying something like that

Oh, AA's first harassment suit - you have really arrived, my friend. I'm goin' to sizzler...

Bottom of the Third

Holliday's looking to keep the batting title, so he needs to get a base hit. He takes a big cut.

Ah, my favorite topic - the change in the Rockies' philosophy. I really, really approve of what Hurdle's done here. Which is easy to say when they're on the brink of the playoffs, but still.

Holliday's out. Still barely dusk in Denver.

Shoo! Helton parks one in the stands, and a truly horrible tune comes on the speaker system.

This is quite a pitchers' duel...

5-4 to the visitors, and the innings are getting longer...

Atkins walks. Hawpe is up with one out and one on base. He takes a big cut to run the count to 1-2. Peavy is going for his 20th win in this extra game - ASTERISK! He drills one by Hawpe and he takes a seat.

Spilborghs, whose name I really enjoy saying but really hate typing - he puts it in play, but Kouz forces the out at second - inning ends with Padres still up 5-4.

Top of the Fourth

Winner gets the Phillies - that's not much of a prize.

Fogg jams Hairston and almost hits him. One out and two strikes on.

According to our announce team, "playing great at the end of the season is important". Someone should have told the Mets. Common courtesy.

Hairston sits. Here's the Macedonian Masher again. Fogg goes off-speed but it's a ball. The next one is a changeup, and Kouz misses it. Fouled off to keep the count at 2-2 with 2 out. Fogg fires it in there and gets Kouz looking. Noice!

Sam said...
you take away 1 bad inning by each pitcher and it really is a duel
peavy better be able to go 7 or 8 because i don't really know who to trust with this bullpen

Bottom of the Fourth

Bump music overrides the Torrealba at-bat. Let's get it together in the truck, guys. Peavy gets a ground-out to retire Fogg. Here's Matsui for the third time tonight.

Is it just me, or should we be showing runs scored for a leadoff man instead of the less-impressive (and relevant) RBIs?

Matsui legs one out, but the throw nips him at the bag. Rockies go down in order.

Top of the Fifth

Here comes Gonzalez again, and he beats out a double. He's on fire tonight. Hawpe is not setting the world on fire in the field tonight.

Here comes Hurdle to make a pitching change. Buchholz was up in the 'pen earlier.

Oooh, Trevor Hoffman breaks down pitching with Alyssa Milano!!! Could she date someone his age? Why not?

Yep, it's Buchholz.

Kahlil Greene is up again, and he's watching everything right now, hasn't taken the bat off his shoulder. There it goes, but that's a popup, and he's out, but the Pads have a man on second with one out.

I asked in the comments, and I'll ask here: If there are any Phillies fans reading the live-blog tonight - let us know which of these teams you'd rather face. The comment field is right below you.

Holliday grabs the Gonzalez looper, and Gonzalez stays on second.

Geoff Blum. Doesn't he sound like a Junior High science teacher? And he kind of looks like one, too.

Buchholz has some nice stubble going. He must be using the Miami Device.

Two strikes on Blum already, with two out. T-Buch gets him to chop at it, and the Pads are taking the field again.

Awful Announcing- said...
OUT-BACK STEAK-HOUSE!

3-0 Pats, and all of you commenting here and not the MNF thread are dead to me!

Harsh.

Bottom of the Fifth

Nuggets in the house! AI and 'Melo are taking in the game. That's cool.

Tulo legs out a double! Clark almost had it in center, but it bounced right in front of his glove.

Here's Holliday in a dangerous spot. The crowd chants MVP! and Holliday takes it to heart, driving Tulowitzki in with an elegant swing that looked way easier than it was.

It's five-all with none out. Helton nearly makes it to first, but he's called out, and Holliday is on second. Can't complain about that. The playoff atmosphere is finally starting to creep in, as the crowd is making noise and night falls.

Atkins strikes out to settle things down a bit. Peavy walks Hawpe intentionally.

Here's Speilberg, I mean Spilborghs.

He's got two on and two out - pressure's on. Peavy gets out of the jam by striking Spil out swinging.



Sam said...
it's nice to know i'm fredo b/c i'm watching a meaningful baseball game vs a monday night football game in week 4

Oct 1, 2007 9:02:00 PM


Anonymous said...
I have to give it up so far. I like TBS. their HD channel is on the money. Nice clean graphics like TNT. Hey Anon, I don't like the Braves so never heard Chip so I don't get the reference. I know he is a younger guy right? I hope that doesn't mean he's Joe Buck's twin...

Brett

Oct 1, 2007 9:04:00 PM


Awful Announcing- said...
Touche Sam....Touche! Damn you!!!

Oct 1, 2007 9:05:00 PM


RyanMcD29 said...
Wow TBS has stepped it up for the playoffs. It's up there in NBA on TNT quality and nowhere from what I was fearing like the NASCAR on TNT quality

Oct 1, 2007 9:09:00 PM


Sam said...
so knowing the voters, does tonights game mean that-
a. peavy won't win the cy young
b. holliday wins mvp

Oct 1, 2007 9:09:00 PM


Anonymous said...
I am too...I think it may be unAmerican to say but, I am footballed out (right this second, tomorrow I can't wait for this coming up weekend again). I think it is also the combo of having to listen to TK on MNF, and the fact that this is do or die. Baseball to me may be the best sport to watch in do or die situation like this.

Brett

It's true - lots on the line here.

Top of the Sixth

Five-all, and this is a pretty damn good game so far.

Peavy up to bat, so they're not taking him out yet - innnnnteresting.

Peavy pops it up and right to Torrealba, so he's back on the bench. One out. And we'll have a pitching change as Buchholz retires knowing he did his job well.

Jeremy Affeldt brings his lefty action into the game to face Giles.

Sam said...
wow nice pinstriped suit

Oct 1, 2007 9:15:00 PM


Anonymous said...
How bout the quick turnaround for the winner of this game? They start the playoffs Wed. against the Phillies. Damn. Kinda a 'Thank you and fuck you' situation.

Brett

Oct 1, 2007 9:19:00 PM


Sam said...
not only that, wednesday at 3:00 eastern

Oct 1, 2007 9:21:00 PM


Tom said...
Let's hear it for my man Don Orsillo! We Red Sox fans get to enjoy his game calls for 150+ games a year on NESN. I'm glad he's got such an appreciative audience for his national debut.

Go Rockies! (I'd be rooting for the Padres, but can't get behind any team that would choose to wear puke-gold uniforms with a potential playoff-clinching celebration on the line) (On the other hand, black and purple isn't much better...Go, Cubs, I guess)-t

Thanks to this long at-bat, I had time to catch up on comments. Thanks, guys, this is a lively room!

Tulowitzki grabs the infield popup and retires Giles after the longest at-bat of the night.

And Affeldt is done. Not like he didn't get his pitches in but he only faced one batter.

Speier is on the mound now. And I have NO IDEA who he is. Apparently he's an undrafted free agent. That's a good story.

Fans starting to live and die with every pitch now... I love this. Full count after the foul tip. The game is slowing down as each at-bat takes on extra weight.

Speier gets the swinging strike!!!!!

What the hell are those glasses on Ernie? He looks like John Waters.

Bottom of the Sixth

Still five-all. This one could go down to the wire.

Ha! They mentioned the traveling secretary. That makes me think of Costanza.

Torrealba puts one in play, but his dive into first isn't fast enough.

Pinch hitter Seth Smith is in. Again, never heard of him. Count is at 3-1, and Smith gets the bat on the next one - it bounces off the wall, but Smith gets in at third!!! Excellent situational hitting with one out. Graphic says that's his first triple of his career, and this is only his eighth at bat this season. Amazing stuff.

Here's Peavy's 100th pitch, and he gets the slider through for a strike. He gets Matsui again for a 1-2 count. Matsui fouls the next one off. His eyes are huge. Smith tags on a sac fly and scores!! That has to be a pinch-hit he'll tell his grandkids about.

Tulo bangs one off the wall and Clark misplays it. Tulo's on third!

The crowd is now calling for Tulo to be ROY and Holliday to be MVP. Let's not get greedy.

Two out, and Holliday is standing in. He's down 0-2 before he can bat an eye. Peavy goes inside, and Holliday has to jump back. He takes a cut at the next one and Peavy gets to sit down again - will he come back in the seventh?

Anonymous said...
Love what TBS is doing so far. EJ is going to be great as always, however I think Cal Ripkin Jr. was a mistake, he is an ex-player who is going to say NOTHING insightful or important.

Yeah, Ernie kind of called him out for that, didn't he? He's used to the Kenny/Round Mound dialogue.

Anonymous said...
did orsillo just refer to a runner at 3rd in a one-run game in the SIXTH inning as an "insurance run" ... BRUTAL


Top of the Seventh

Aww, it's LaTroy! He gets Kouzmanoff to ground out. We're getting a report from Sager, but wisely, no visual on the suit from "Music Man".

Gonzo's back with one out. He's at 3-1 in the count, and he takes a massive swing at the next one - strikeout.

Tulowitzki backhands one for an error, and wisely keeps it in his glove. Nice to see a rookie smart enough to not compound his error in a tense situation.

Kahlil is up with one out and one on. He takes a big cut, and the sounds of this game are amazing. Good work by TBS, again. LaTroy buckles Greene's knees for the out.

Bard is up with two out. He hits it straight at Matsui, who tosses it to second to end the half inning.

Anonymous said...
La Troy Hawkins

Yeah this is the guy I want on the mound with post season on the line.

Oct 1, 2007 9:46:00 PM


Anonymous said...
He's throwin gas tho.....

Damn field the ball Tulu!

Brett

Oct 1, 2007 9:48:00 PM


Sam said...
something tells me that hawkins-fuentes-corpas for the last 9 outs is just too good to be true for the rockies

Oct 1, 2007 9:49:00 PM


Anonymous said...
Wishful thinking....not the way this game is goin.

Gimmie extras, that would be reat.
Brett

Bottom of the Seventh

That's going to put an end to beer sales, so I hope everyone got a snootfull.

Jesus - Peavy is back on the mound. They must really hate the bullpen in San Diego.

Look at Todd, he's tasting the postseason. Mmmm... post-season.

Peavy gets ahead in the count. Helton hits one straight to first and he's out.

Here's the third baseman Atkins. He blasts one and it's... a ground-rule double? Jeez, let's talk about this for a while. Make the call!

Jamey Carroll in at second to pinch run for Atkins. Peavy intentionally walks Holliday. Black finally pulls his ace, after a rough, rough night. Nonetheless, Peavy was a warrior for working through the difficulties.

You're looking at the world's biggest idiot. I left Peavy in my fantasy league and he cost me a shot a third place. (bows) thank you!!!!

Bell comes in for Peavy.

He strikes out Spilborghs.

Yorvit has no moustache. Which makes his beard an actual goatee. Now we're hearing about how Hurdle liked Torrealba as an 18-year-old. He's really taking his hits tonight.

Torrealba has a full count now. He got rooked on that strike call. Now he swings and strikes out to close out the seventh.

One More Dying Quail said...
I apologize for not reading the entire live-blog, but I wanted to make note that:

1) It's weird to hear Don Orsillo doing play-by-play for a game between the Padres and Rockies

2) Hearing Orsillo call a play and not hearing Jerry Remy's voice in response isn't cool either.

Cool, they're interviewing the fat lady over at the yellow line.

Top of the Eighth

6-5 for the Rockies, with Carroll at third and Fuentes on the mound.

Nice catch by helton in foul territory to retire the first out of the inning. And I would like to declare a moratorium on the Quarterback jokes. Helton hasn't been a quarterback for a long, long time now.

I remember there being a great many attractive people in Denver when I lived there. Apparently none of them could get tickets to this game.

Barrett's in at Catcher. He's taking his cuts with one out and one on first. Torrealba muffs a ball and now the tying run is on second.

Fuentes gets Giles to swing, and it's 1-1. Holliday mis-plays the long ball and the game is tied 6-6. Hairston is put out at first and the inning ends.

Sam said...
that's just terrible luck for the rockies
what do they tell you in little league? First step back!

Oct 1, 2007 10:18:00 PM


Anonymous said...
OMG...in your home park??????

Brett

Oct 1, 2007 10:19:00 PM


Matt said...
The Rockies just called Selig.

They want their Home Run back.

Misplays in the outfield are killing the Rocks.


Bottom of the Eighth

Bell is back on the mond, facing Cory Sullivan. We're tied at six-all.

Sullivan walks. It's positively absurd how many times I've seen Matsui at bat, and it's only the eighth.

Matsui advances the runner to second, but he's out at first. Bell brushes Tulo back from the plate. Tulo hits it back to Bell, and he's out - runner held at second.

Holliday back up, still trying to get untracked - he has only a single so far. With two out and the postseason on the line, this is where your typical MVP would, you know, shine. Strikeout. His third of the night.

Top of the Ninth

Corpas in, and he gets the first out right away with a grounder.

Gonzalez is up. He's just making hitters look foolish so far.

Tulowitzki makes a good catch and a great throw. Fantastic play by the rook.

That's two out, and Khalil is back up. He pops one up and Hawpe finally makes a play look routine.

Bottom of the Ninth

Helton is up against Bell. This would be a spectacular time for him to show that veteran presence with the big bat. Where the hell is Trevor Hoffman?

The last thing the winning team needs is an extra-innings game. They already have to hop on a plane as soon as the game is over.

Helton strikes out. Carroll pops one into foul territory for the second out. And now Hawpe is at the plate hoping to put an end to the shenanigans.

Jesus, Bell's pitch hit the glove like cannon fire. Great game sound.

2-1 for Hawpe. Now 3-1, and Bell has to throw a strike. Ooooops, it's a ball. Here comes the pitching coach.

Bell stays in against Koshansky. He goes up 0-2 quickly. Koshansky strikes out. Eep.

Sam said...
@ anon Joe

i'm sure they're gonna pitch around him with caroll on deck, but it'd be fun to see

whoa, no Hoffman?

Oct 1, 2007 10:37:00 PM


Anonymous said...
How much would the Mets like to have been able to trot Heath Bell out instead of Mota down the stretch?

Joe

Oct 1, 2007 10:40:00 PM


The Chemical Brother said...
Why is the guy behind home plate holding a dog?

Oct 1, 2007 10:40:00 PM


Matt said...
100 K's out of your setup man.

Wow

Oct 1, 2007 10:41:00 PM


Anonymous said...
if Hoff hurt?

Brett

Oct 1, 2007 10:42:00 PM


Anonymous said...
is*

Oct 1, 2007 10:42:00 PM


Anonymous said...
This Bell is solid. Damn.

Brett
Extra Innings - top of the Tenth

Matsui bobbles a grounder and nearly misses the bag, but it's an out.

Blum pops one up and Holliday gets under it for a quick second out.

Terrmel "Sister" Sledge is in to pinch hit, with his badass .210 average. Hmmm, I totally missed the pitching change - Herges is in. Hurdle goes digging for buried treasure in his left nostril. Good work from the camera man.

Sledge takes ball four and heads for first.

"You don't run on your thumbs" Mike Cameron comes in to pinch run.

Here's Barrett at the plate with two out and Cameron on.

Holliday was playing deep (against Barrett?) and one drops in front of him for another base hit. That's two on with two out.

The pressure is causing autism in the Denver bleachers. Herges pitches out of the jam, and we're heading deep into the tenth.

Bottom of the Tenth

Brocail takes the mound for San Diego. We once had some Brocail pillow shams. Or was that Brocade? I am so whipped.

I missed the first at-bat for a bathroom break, but um, someone failed to get on base, and is, in fact, out.

Sullivan cracks a nice one, but not enough - he's out as Giles tracks it down.

Matsui is up again. He practically seems like part of the family now. He pops it up for the third out.

Top of the Eleventh

Helton has to stretch off of the bag after Carroll bobbles the catch, and Hairston is on first. Quickly, Kouzmanoff bunts and advances him to second. Finally, we see Hoffman up in the bullpen.

Khalil hacks at a fastball and it's a huge whiff. He hits it sharply to third, but CArroll makes the play, getting the out at third and then the long throw to first.

Bottom of the Freaking Eleventh

Hey, look, it's Dinger!

Tulo drops one short, but Brocail zips it over to first just in time. He's hurt. Which is probably OK - the Pads need to go Hoff now.

Here's Holliday again. Brocail is OK, and he's pitching the rest of the inning, it seems. Brocail gets Holliday to reach again - strikeout. Two out and Helton comes back to the plate. He walks.

Two out, Helton on first, and here's Jamey Carroll. C'mon Carroll - everyone's questioning you - prove them wrong.

Carroll reaches, and Helton heads to second. Black pulls Brocale in favor of Thatcher.

Is that fucking Cameron Diaz?

Anonymous said...
I'm not a fan of either team, I've got a paper due tomorrow I haven't started and I don't care. This is tense stuff

Joe

Oct 1, 2007 11:14:00 PM

Thank you for saying that - I was supposed to email a paper to my professor before midnight, and I damn near forgot.

Hawpe strikes out, and my typing fingers develop a callus.

Top o' The Mornin' er, the Twelfth

Wait, that's Morgan Ensberg's music!! /sportsguy

I was wondering why the Coors crowd still sounded so perky, and then I realized it's only 9:30 there.

One out, still tied at six. Michael Barrett is on deck. Some dude I don't recognize just whiffed to bring him to the plate. Myrow? Who is that?

Herges is down 3-0 to Barrett. I'd really prefer that the Rockies win this game, but I'm starting to pray for anything resembling offense.

Back to 3-2 and Herges.... calls time. Barrett's bat shatters! But he's out a first. That would have been awesome in 3-D.

Bottom of the Twelfth

Anonymous said...
Barrett gonna Punch in the winning run?

Oct 1, 2007 11:39:00 PM

Maybe I'm punchy, but that made me laugh.

OK, where was I? Ah, yes. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

Yorvit - he is out, sir.

It's two out and Margaret Thatcher is still pitching.

Sullivan is swinging at everything. He must want to get home for milk n' cookies.

Top of the Thirteenth

This is becoming one of those games where you just want to be able to say "I was still watching when (insert player name here) hit the game winner. Sales of the Stadium Pal and Stadium Gal should go through the roof after this.

Hairston drives in two runs off of Jorge Julio! It's a dagger in the hearts of the Coors faithful! That just might be the end of this game.

Crap, the Pads are breaking this wide open. Julio is now the most hated man in Denver, moving just ahead of Howie Long.

Ortiz is in for Julio, with his sparkling 0-0 record and 8.25 ERA. Get someone out, Ortiz... do it for the children!

Ortiz does just that, retiring Khalil for the second out of the inning. It's "Smell the Glove" time. Ensberg lofts one into a Bermuda triangle of Rox outfielders, and they astonishingly fail to run into each other and the top of the inning is over.

Bottom of the Thirteenth

Hoff-mann?

Yes indeedy.

Let's hope that Alyssa left him enough in the tank for him to finish this game.

Matsui smacks a double! It ain't over! Here's Tulowitzki, and he goes quickly to 1-1. Hoffman throws Juuuuust a bit outside.

On the 2-2, Tulowitzki gets a piece of the next pitch, but it goes foul. Making Trevor throw this many pitches has to be a good thing for the Rockies. Up to 3-2.

Tulo drops a double!!!! Holy shit!!!! C'mon Rocks! Put the old fella to bed, already!!!! It's the heart of the order.

Yes!!! Tulowitzki scores to tie it, and Holliday is on third!!! 8-8!

Walking Helton. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carroll's up with men at the corners and no outs. All Carroll needs to do is get the ball in play. This game has been amazing.

Carroll does it!!!! Carroll does it!!!!! Holliday's speed is just enough to get him across the plate, but he's hurt on the slide!



There's going to be a lot of controversy about that slide to end the game, but it's been called. This game is over! The Philadelphia Phillies can look forward to a tired Rockies team in the Wild Card game.

I have been Extra P. Thanks for joining me, it was a blast.