Although they lost two of three games to the Royals, there are positives to take from the Rockies’ recent trip to Kansas City and things to build upon.

Consider that no game was one by more than two runs, the net difference in runs scored between the two teams was only two runs, and each team had the potential (or actual) tying, winning or go-ahead run come to the plate in the ninth inning.

While Colorado’s offense remains inconsistent, scoring only nine runs in the series, these three games gave the Rockies a taste of what to expect if and when postseason baseball arrives: Tightly contested games where starting pitching must do its part, the bullpen is critical and one swing can make or break a game. he didn’t make the direct playoff correlation, but Rockies manager Bud Black did see all three of those things in Thursday’s series finale win.

“That game was won, you know for us, by one big swing and also the bullpen doing a nice job of three scoreless innings. German, obviously, after the first two solo home runs, he put up four zeroes,” Black said.

Black saw his three starters put together 17.2 innings and allow only six earned runs over the three games. Minus a poor outing by Greg Holland in Game 2 in which he gave up a two-out, three-run, walk-off home run, the Rockies’ bullpen pitched 7.1 innings of one-run relief through the series.

“Those were the types of games that were played here in this series: Hard fought, well pitched, a big swing here and there changes the complexion of all three games. Today it was our turn,” Black said postgame Thursday. “Yesterday it was their turn.”

Even in a game in which the Rockies mustered just two hits, losing 3-2, they had a big hitter at the plate with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the ninth in the series opener.

“We had a chance in Game 1 in the ninth with Pat [Valaika], with two outs and [Scott] Alexander came in and made a pitch,” Black said.

Valaika got his redemption with a go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning Thursday that proved to be the difference in the game.

“Those were three really good games when you think about the excitement at the end, a little bit of the drama of a tight game where every pitch is critical as the game moves into the later innings. Those are three good games,” Black said.

Three good games. Three games that had a playoff feel. Three games the Rockies need to remember in late September and October.