In 2007, the Colorado Rockies finished the regular season by winning 14 of 15 games to leap from fourth place in the NL West into what would eventually become their first and only World Series appearance. Mile High Sports celebrates the anniversary of ‘Rocktober’ by recapping each game from each of those days ten years ago.
***
September 21, 2007
ROCKIES 2, PADRES 1
Coming off of a sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Rockies now had their sights set on the second-place San Diego Padres, who had a four-and-a-half game lead for the wildcard. After a 14-inning marathon, the Rockies began to claw away at the gap, taking their sixth win in a row.
Starting pitchers Franklin Morales and Jake Peavy battled for six scoreless innings before the Rockies struck first. After giving up a walk to left fielder Matt Holliday and a single to first baseman Todd Helton, right fielder Brad Hawpe hit a single to right field to score the first run of the game. Rockies manager Clint Hurdle then started making defensive moves, pulling Morales for relievers LaTroy Hawkins and Brian Fuentes, who kept the Padres off the board until the ninth, when closer Manny Corpas entered the game.
Corpas gave up a home run on his first pitch, tying the game and blowing the save. The game would go four more scoreless innings before Hawpe connected for a home run of his own off of reliever Joe Thatcher. Reliever Matt Herges entered the game for the Rockies and took out the final three batters, finishing off the Padres in nine pitches.
The Rockies moved up to 82-72, knocking the Padres lead down to three-and-a-half games and winning their sixth game in a row.