Final
Brewers-Rockies Preview
Sep 30, 2009 - 6:59 AM By MIKE LIPKA STATS WriterMilwaukee (77-80) at Colorado (89-68), 8:40 p.m. EDT
The Colorado Rockies haven't taken the smoothest possible path to the playoffs, but that route looks very clear entering the season's final days.
Their magic number down to three with five games to play, the Rockies will try to ride the momentum from a pair of dramatic victories as they continue their series with the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night.
Colorado's poorly timed slump, which included eight losses in 13 games from Sept. 12-26, caused the team's lead in the NL wild card to slip to two games after Atlanta's seventh straight win on Monday night.
But the Braves finally lost 5-4 to Florida on Tuesday, and the Rockies (89-68) extended their edge to three games with a 7-5, 11-inning win in the series opener over Milwaukee. Closer Huston Street blew a three-run lead on Jason Kendall's ninth-inning home run - just the catcher's second of the year - but reserve Colorado catcher Chris Iannetta won it with a pinch-hit, walk-off blast.
"It's good to see I-Man hit that home run right there," first baseman Todd Helton said. "Every time he goes up to the plate, you pull for him. He's such a good guy and he works really hard and it's a season-changer right there for him."
The win had less controversy than Colorado's previous victory, a 4-3 win over St. Louis on Sunday that ended when Clint Barmes' diving catch of a pop-up in shallow right field turned into a double play.
It was unclear whether Barmes maintained control of the ball, but either way the Rockies appear primed to return to the postseason for the first time since their run to the World Series in 2007.
They could even be thinking about an unlikely NL West title, as they trail the Los Angeles Dodgers by 3 1/2 games. Colorado closes the season with a three-game set versus the division leaders.
First, the Rockies will try to inch closer to a playoff spot behind Jason Hammel. The right-hander has pitched well down the stretch, but has just one win in his last seven starts despite a 3.63 ERA.
Hammel (9-8, 4.30 ERA) did not get a decision Thursday against San Diego after allowing two runs in 6 1-3 innings of Colorado's 5-4 defeat, but he beat Milwaukee on June 9 with six strong innings in Colorado's 3-2 victory.
The Rockies are 4-0 against the Brewers this season, but they haven't yet faced Jeff Suppan. The right-hander has a 6-1 record and 3.40 ERA in nine career starts against Colorado, and he was the winning pitcher in Milwaukee's only victory in eight games at Coors Field.
Suppan (7-11, 5.04) will hope to end his sluggish season by rebounding from a difficult start Thursday against Philadelphia. He allowed eight runs and a season-high 12 hits in 4 1-3 innings of a 9-4 loss, his third defeat in four starts.
"I just couldn't make a pitch in the fifth (inning) when I need to, and they put up a big number," Suppan said.
The Brewers (77-80) are trying to avoid a third straight loss as they look to finish the season at or above .500. Milwaukee is 2-3 in a 10-game season-closing run against likely NL playoff teams that ends at St. Louis this weekend.
- Rockies 10, Brewers 6 - FINAL
MILWAUKEE ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
F Lopez 2b 2 0 0 0 3 0 0 .308
J Gerut rf 5 0 1 0 0 2 5 .230
R Braun lf 4 1 2 0 0 2 1 .318
P Fielder 1b 5 1 2 1 0 2 5 .296
C McGehee 3b 5 2 2 1 0 1 6 .304
M Cameron cf 5 1 2 1 0 1 1 .249
A Esco
Oct 1 12:04 AM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY CASEY MCGEHEE (16) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 9TH OFF MATT BELISLE.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 6, COLORADO 10
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: M CAMERON (.249, 2-FOR-4, HR, RBI)
Brewers 6, Rockies 10 Top 9, 0 OutsSep 30 11:59 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY TROY TULOWITZKI (31) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT
IN THE 7TH OFF CHRIS SMITH SCORED TODD HELTON.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 5, COLORADO 10
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: B HAWPE (.286, 1-FOR-3)
Brewers 5, Rockies 10 Bot 7, 0 OutsSep 30 11:25 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY JASON KENDALL SCORED RYAN BRAUN
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J KENDALL ON FIRST, M CAMERON ON SECOND, P
FIELDER ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 5
COLORADO 8 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J SUPPAN (.146, 0-FOR-2, SAC, RBI)
Brewers 5, Rockies 8 Top 7, 0 OutsSep 30 11:13 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY CARLOS GONZALEZ (13) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT
IN THE 6TH OFF JEFF SUPPAN SCORED GARRETT ATKINS.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 4, COLORADO 8
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: S SMITH (.295, 1-FOR-2, HBP, RBI)
Brewers 4, Rockies 8 Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 30 10:50 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY JEFF SUPPAN ALLOWED IAN STEWART TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, G ATKINS ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 4
COLORADO 6 BOTTOM,6TH
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: C GONZALEZ (.284, 1-FOR-3)
Brewers 4, Rockies 6 Bot 6, 0 OutsSep 30 10:49 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY JEFF SUPPAN SCORED ALCIDES ESCOBAR
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, NONE ON, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 4
COLORADO 5 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: F LOPEZ (.309, 0-FOR-1, BB)
Brewers 4, Rockies 5 Top 4, 0 OutsSep 30 9:55 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY MIKE CAMERON (24) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF JASON HAMMEL.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 3, COLORADO 5
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: A ESCOBAR (.298, 0-FOR-1)
Brewers 3, Rockies 5 Top 4, 0 OutsSep 30 9:47 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY YORVIT TORREALBA SCORED BRAD HAWPE
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, Y TORREALBA ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 2
COLORADO 5 BOTTOM,3RD
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: I STEWART (.226, 0-FOR-1)
Brewers 2, Rockies 5 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 30 9:42 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY TODD HELTON (15) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 1
OUT IN THE 3RD OFF JEFF SUPPAN SCORED SETH SMITH.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 2, COLORADO 4
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: T TULOWITZKI (.293, 0-FOR-0, BB)
Brewers 2, Rockies 4 Bot 3, 0 OutsSep 30 9:36 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
WILD PITCH BY JEFF SUPPAN ALLOWED YORVIT TORREALBA TO
SCORE.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, NONE ON, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 2
COLORADO 2 BOTTOM,2ND
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: C BARMES (.246, 23 HR, 76 RBI)
Brewers 2, Rockies 2 Bot 2, 0 OutsSep 30 9:18 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JASON KENDALL SCORED CASEY MCGEHEE
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J KENDALL ON SECOND, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 2
COLORADO 1 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: J SUPPAN (.154, 0 HR, 4 RBI)
Brewers 2, Rockies 1 Top 2, 0 OutsSep 30 9:09 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY PRINCE FIELDER (44) TO CENTER WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 2ND OFF JASON HAMMEL.
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 1, COLORADO 1
DUE UP FOR MILWAUKEE: C MCGEHEE (.303, 15 HR, 65 RBI)
Brewers 1, Rockies 1 Top 2, 0 OutsSep 30 9:02 PM - NL
AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY SETH SMITH SCORED CARLOS GONZALEZ
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, S SMITH ON FIRST, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: MILWAUKEE 0
COLORADO 1 BOTTOM,1ST
DUE UP FOR COLORADO: T HELTON (.323, 14 HR, 84 RBI)
Brewers 0, Rockies 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsSep 30 8:52 PM
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