Colorado Rockies history: Rocktober streak (part 8)

After an off-day, the 2007 Colorado Rockies looked to continue their Rocktober streak as they would head to Los Angeles to face the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. The Rockies would enter the day just one game back of the San Diego Padres for the National League Wild Card spot and just four games back of the Arizona Diamondbacks for the division.

The Rockies would face the Dodgers for the start of the second series between the two teams in the Rocktober streak. The Rockies had already reeled off eight straight wins by this point. They would send out this lineup to attempt to their ninth straight.

1. Kazuo Matsui, 2B
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. Cory Sullivan, CF
9. Ubaldo Jimenez, SP

Dodgers manager Grady Little would send out this lineup.

1. Juan Pierre, CF
2. Matt Kemp, RF
3. James Loney, 1B
4. Jeff Kent, 2B
5. Russell Martin, C
6. Andre Ethier, LF
7. Andy LaRoche, 3B
8. Chin-lung Hu, SS
9. Brad Penny, SP

A Recap of the Game

It would be a high-scoring affair as neither starting pitcher lasted more than five innings. Jimenez was knocked out in the fifth as he faced four batters in the inning without retiring a single one. He went four innings giving up nine hits, five runs, two walks, and two strikeouts. All five runs came on home runs as Hu hit a two-run home run in the fourth and Loney hit a three-run home run in the fifth. Penny only lasted five innings as he allowed six hits, four runs, and three walks while only striking out two.

Neither bullpen was stellar either. For the Rockies, Ryan Speier, Matt Herges, Brian Fuentes, and Manny Corpas all pitched in the game. Speier and Herges pitched very well as they combined for three innings without allowing a base runner and striking out five. However, Fuentes and Corpas combined for two innings and, combined, they allowed three hits, two runs, and three walks.

For the Dodgers, Mark Hendrickson, Rudy Seanez, Scott Proctor, and Roberto Herndandez combined for four innings pitched and they gave up seven hits and five runs to the Rockies.

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Offensively

Offensively, there were plenty of players who did well for the Rockies. Five players (Helton, Tulo, Holliday, Torrealba, and Ryan Spilborghs (who came in for Sullivan in the sixth inning)) all had two or more hits.

For the Dodgers, Loney, LaRoche, and Hu all had excellent games with two or more runs batted in. Each of the three also had two or more hits on the evening.

Final Totals and Notes

The Rockies would win by a score of 9-7 to increase their winning streak to nine games. However, they would not gain ground on the Padres, though, because the Padres defeated the San Francisco Giants by a score of 6-4 after they came back to score four runs in the top of the ninth inning.

Ryan Speier would get the win and Mark Hendrickson would be saddled with the loss. Manny Corpas would pick up save number 17 on the season.

Check back here tomorrow for part nine in the Rocktober series.