Colorado Rockies history: Rocktober streak (part 7)
Francis would bunt Sullivan to second base for the first out of the inning. Matsui followed Francis with a seven pitch walk to load the bases for Troy Tulowitzki. He wouldn’t take long as on the first pitch of the at-bat, he would have a sac fly to make it 4-1. It would be two-on and two out for Todd Helton. He would deliver the knockout blow as he hit an RBI single to score Sullivan to make it 5-1. He would be the last batter that Maddux would face as he would be replaced by reliever Kevin Cameron. Cameron would retire Atkins to end the inning and it would close the books on Maddux’s day.
Maddux went 3 2/3 innings allowing eight hits, five runs, two walks while only striking out one.
The top of the seventh inning
Neither team would score between the bottom of the fourth inning through the sixth inning. However, in the top of the seventh inning, Garrett Atkins would face Wil Ledezma (who was in his third inning of work) to lead off the inning. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Atkins launched a ball to left-center field.
Center fielder Mike Cameron dove for the ball and missed. Left-fielder Milton Bradley was coming in as well and he stepped on Cameron’s hand. Atkins would keep motoring around the bases to get an inside-the-park home run, which was only the ninth in Rockies franchise history. It would make the score 6-1 Rockies.