San Diego – Manager Clint Hurdle recognized months ago that his team is easier to appreciate than explain.
They don’t follow the script. In fact at this point, if they turned this one into a Hollywood executive tomorrow, it would be rejected out of hand. What team loses a series to the Florida Marlins, then posts eight straight victories while leaving the Dodgers and Padres in chaos.
The Rockies mauled San Diego 7-3, thrashing Greg Maddux, spawning another Milton Bradley meltdown – all while creeping closer to the postseason.
“This is exciting. It’s getting fun,” owner Dick Monfort said.
Once idling in pit lane, for the Rockies the race is on: Their sweep of San Diego left them 1 ½ games behind the Padres and a half-game back from the Phillies. The Rockies set a franchise record today with their 84th win. They have six games remaining – three at Los Angeles beginning Tuesday, followed by a season-ending home series against the Diamondbacks.
Before the game, the Rockies wondered how they would piece together innings if their bullpen was needed. Manny Corpas and Brian Fuentes weren’t going to pitch – though Corpas insisted he could go. In the end, it didn’t matter. On the same site that produced his worst big-league game five weeks ago, Francis turned in one of his best. He allowed just two runs in eight innings, firing 75 strikes in 112 pitches.
All the support he needed came when the Rockies knocked out Maddux with a four-run fourth. The Rockies tallied five hits in the inning, including RBIs from Ryan Spilborghs, Yorvit Torrealba and Todd Helton.
It spoke to the day’s absurdity that shelling Maddux was hardly the strangest thing that happened. Garrett Atkins hit an inside-the-park home run when Bradley crashed into center fielder Mike Cameron. In the eighth inning, Bradley was ejected for arguing with the first base umpire and attempted to charge him when manager Bud Black intervened and threw Bradley down. Bradley hurt his knee in the process and was carried off the field.
Moments later Black was tossed, leaving the Padres a mess and the Rockies in their best position in 12 years.
