Colorado Rockies history: Rocktober streak (part 3)

DENVER - SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 of the Colorado Rockies goes to bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER - SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 of the Colorado Rockies goes to bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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DENVER – SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 of the Colorado Rockies goes to bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER – SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 of the Colorado Rockies goes to bat against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Ten years ago, on this day in Colorado Rockies history, the Rockies won the fourth straight game in what was later named the “Rocktober streak.” We recount the events on September 19th as a the third installment of our Rocktober streak series. The streak is also one of our one seeds in our top 32 moments in Rockies franchise history tournament.

On Wednesday, September 19, 2007, the Rockies faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third game of their series. The starting lineups on that night looked like this.

Los Angeles Dodgers

  1. Juan Pierre, CF
  2. Matt Kemp, RF
  3. James Loney, 1B
  4. Jeff Kent, 2B
  5. Luis Gonzalez, LF
  6. Russell Martin, C
  7. Nomar Garciaparra, 3B
  8. Tony Abreu, SS
  9. Brad Penny, SP

Colorado Rockies

  1. Cory Sullivan, CF
  2. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
  3. Matt Holliday, LF
  4. Todd Helton, 1B
  5. Garrett Atkins, 3B
  6. Brad Hawpe, RF
  7. Yorvit Torrealba, C
  8. Omar Quintanilla, 2B
  9. Josh Fogg, SP

A recap of the game

Juan Pierre led off the game with a lead-off single and on the first pitch to Matt Kemp, who followed, Pierre stole second base. Loney drove Pierre in with a single to right field to quickly make it a 1-0 Dodgers lead.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Rockies tied it up, though. After two flyouts to start the inning, Matt Holliday, on the first pitch of the at-bat, launched a solo home run to right field to make it 1-1. However, no further scoring came in the inning.

DENVER – SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 ,Cory Sullivan #18 and Brad Hawpe #11 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate in the outfield during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER – SEPTEMBER 18: Matt Holliday #5 ,Cory Sullivan #18 and Brad Hawpe #11 of the Colorado Rockies celebrate in the outfield during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field on September 18, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Dodgers 3-1 in the first game of a double header. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

In the top of the second inning, the Dodgers went down 1-2-3. In the bottom half of the inning, Yorvit Torrealba led off the inning with a home run to make it a 2-1 Rockies.

However, the see-saw match continued as, in the next half inning, the Dodgers came back to tie it up. They did it after James Loney came through again. This time, he drove in pitcher Brad Penny, who had doubled to lead off the inning to tie it a 2-2.

The see-saw match continued in the bottom of the third inning when, just like he did in the first inning, Matt Holliday launched a home run on the first pitch of the at-bat to make it a 3-2 Rockies lead.

The Dodgers did not score in the fourth inning, though, but the Rockies added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth. Cory Sullivan delivered with an RBI single to make it 4-2 Rockies.

The Dodgers halved the Rockies lead in the top of the fifth inning when James Loney scored Juan Pierre with an infield groundout.

Rockies starter, Josh Fogg, was replaced after five innings. The reliever replacing him was Ryan Speier. However, he did not provide the Rockies with any relief.

DENVER, CO – AUGUST 11: Catcher Yorvit Torrealba #8 of the Colorado Rockies gives the ball to relief pitcher Manny Corpas #60 of the Colorado Rockies as they work against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning at Coors Field on August 11, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. Corpas earned the win as the Rockies defeated the Pirates 3-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 11: Catcher Yorvit Torrealba #8 of the Colorado Rockies gives the ball to relief pitcher Manny Corpas #60 of the Colorado Rockies as they work against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning at Coors Field on August 11, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. Corpas earned the win as the Rockies defeated the Pirates 3-2. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

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Speier loaded the bases to start off the inning with back-to-back-to-back singles by Russell Martin, Nomar Garciaparra, and Tony Abreu. Pitcher Brad Penny made it four straight singles to tie it a 4-4 a piece. Speier was then replaced by lefty-reliever Jeremy Affeldt. He allowed one more run on a groundout by Matt Kemp to make it a 5-4 Dodgers lead.

From the bottom of the sixth inning through the top of the eighth, there were three hits and one hit batter combined on each side but no scoring came about.

In the bottom of the eighth, right-handed reliever Jonathan Broxton came on in relief and, like the previous night, he did not provide the Dodgers with relief. Garrett Atkins led off the inning with single to right-center field. Kazuo Matsui pinch ran for Atkins and on the third pitch of the at-bat to Brad Hawpe, Matsui stole second base. Three pitches later, Hawpe regained the lead for the Rockies as he hit a two-run home run to right field to make it a 6-5 Rockies lead.

That would all that Rockies closer Manny Corpas would need as he allowed a single to Jeff Kent to lead off the ninth but he recorded two groundouts and a flyout to end the game.

Winner, Loser, and Save

Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes recorded the win as he improved his record to 2-5. Broxton’s record dropped to 4-4 with the loss and Manny Corpas recorded save number 16.

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Next: Check out part 2 of the Rocktober streak

Check back here tomorrow for the fourth installment of the Rocktober streak series and other articles that we publish.

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