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Rockies win franchise-best 10th straight with help from Fogg

Sep 27, 2007 - 6:03 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- A strong Fogg kept it clear sailing for the Colorado Rockies.

Josh Fogg tossed 6 2/3 strong innings as the Rockies set a franchise record by winning their 10th straight game, downing the Los Angeles Dodgers, 2-0, on Wednesday.

The win kept the Rockies (86-72) one game behind the San Diego Padres (87-71) in the National League wild card chase and tied with the Philadelphia Phillies (86-72), who defeated the Atlanta Braves earlier Wednesday.

"Right now, we are just trying to keep pace with the other teams, and hopefully, we win enough games the next few days and reach our goal," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.

It also put them just two games back of the NL West Division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks (88-70), who lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier in the day.

Since May 22, Colorado has gone 67-45, which is the best record in the NL in that span and second best in the major leagues behind only the New York Yankees (71-44). The 10-game winning streak is the longest in the majors this season.

"It means a lot to our team with our (club-record) win streak, especially since there were other good teams that played since the team has been around," Fogg said. "The wins are very important to our team right now since we're coming down the wire."

Fogg (10-9), who was just 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA against the Dodgers in three previous starts against them this season, extended his unbeaten streak to six games. He yielded five hits and walked three before departing in favor of reliever Jeremy Affeldt after throwing 97 pitches.

The righthander benefited from Colorado's two-run third against Los Angeles starter Derek Lowe (12-14) that was sparked by a one-out double by Yorvit Torrealba. After Fogg struck out on a bunt attempt, Kaz Matsui drove in the Rockies' first run with a single.

"I just wanted to go out and make my pitches and keep giving us a chance to get the win," Fogg said. "We just have to worry about ourselves and try not to get caught up in what the other teams are doing."

"(Fogg) was tough out there tonight," Dodgers first baseman James Loney said. "Right now, they are playing really good baseball at the most important time in the year."

After advancing to second on rookie Troy Tulowitzki's single, Matsui scored on Matt Holliday's base hit to double Colorado's lead.

Closer Manny Corpas, who followed Affeldt and fellow reliever Brian Fuentes, worked around two infield singles in the ninth for his 18th save in 21 chances.

Fogg's mastery of the Dodgers' lineup made a hard-luck loser out of Lowe, who lost his second straight start despite yielding only two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in seven frames. In the sinkerballer's 14 losses this season, Los Angeles has managed just 30 runs.

Rookie Delwyn Young had two hits for the Dodgers, who have dropped nine of their last 10 contests.