There was never a doubt, not from the sound, not from the swing, not from the arc as it lifted through the mist and rain.
Catcher Yorvit Torrealba glanced toward the left-field stands, where his three-run home would eventually land, and jogged around the bases with his right-arm raised in the air. It signaled joy and triumph, the defining moment in the Rockies 4-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series.
Same as the 82-mph fastball on Torrealba’s bat, the Rockies are in the sweet spot now, on the doorstep of history.
With a win Monday night, Colorado advances to the World Series. Only one major league team has ever blown a 3-0 advantage in the playoffs, the 2004 New York Yankees.
That won’t even be a rumor to a city that woke up today with a grin, sharing the same dream over the office water cooler.
The Rockies were 4 ½ games out of the wild-card spot with 14 games remaining in the regular season. There were three teams in front of them. Since then they have gone 20-1. They are undefeated in six postseason games, the first team to pull that off since the 1976 Cincinnati Reds and 1970 Baltimore Orioles.
Colorado is in position to win its first ever National League pennant because of its latest stars du jour. Torrealba has forged a reputation as a clutch player in his two seasons with the Rockies. But even he had to reinvent himself in October.
From Aug. 1 until the end of the regular season, Torrealba hit .215 with 16 RBIs, appearing to wear down from the grind of reaching career highs in starts and innings played. His passion, however, has blended perfectly with the postseason. He’s tied for the team best with seven RBIs.
None was bigger than his three in the sixth inning. It was a vintage playoff at-bat. It reached seven pitches, a blend of fastballs and two curveballs that tickled the radar gun at 58 and 62 miles per hour, respectively. Torrealba dug into the wet batter’s box and crushed an 82-mile per fastball into the seats.
Until that point, the Rockies were hitless in tries with runners in scoring position. That big swing was all that was necessary to make a winner out of Josh Fogg (six innings, one run on seven hits). Fogg benefited from three double-plays in the first three innings. His work lowered the starters’ ERA in the playoffs to 1.64.
The bulletproof bullpen continued to make life miserable for the Diamondbacks. Jeremy Affeldt, Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas shut the door over the final three innings. The Rockies’ relievers lowered their ERA 0.78.
Arizona’s problems continued offensively. While Hernandez kept them within striking distance, the Diamondbacks’ bats turned into linguini. Arizona has scored four runs in three games.
Now all the Rockies need is one more win to reach their ultimate dream.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Inning-by-inning report
First Inning
Arizona
Arizona puts its first two runners on base. This could have been called some “positive momentum” for the Diamondbacks. Until batter number three Eric Byrnes lined out into a double play, and batter number four Tony Clark flies out to center field.
Colorado
Holliday hits a homer, and Colorado’s up 1-0.
Second Inning
Arizona
Jeff Salazar’s one-out single and Miguel Montero’s right-field single gives the Dbacks a chance to tie it up. Fogg has given up four hits so far tonight. It ends up not mattering — the Rockies end the inning with a double play.
Colorado
Three up, three down.
Third Inning
Arizona
Fogg walks Chris Young, which sets Colorado up for its third double-play in as many innings. Fogg has thrown 35 pitches tonight.
Colorado
Yorvit doubles, Fogg walks, and Arizona’s in (even more) trouble. Or not. Three straight outs and the dbacks escape. Hernandez has thrown 43 pitches so far.
Fourth Inning
Arizona
Mark Reynolds ties the score with a home run. No double-play for the Colorado defense this inning. Fogg’s thrown 46 pitches (29 strikes).
Colorado
Helton slams one against the right-field wall and gets a single out of it — it’s his third hit out of 22 at-bats in the series. Diamondback second-baseman . Tulowitzki gets an infield hit. It doesn’t matter. Rockies leave the inning with two runners on. Hernandez has made 62 pitches (37 strikes).
Fifth Inning
Arizona
Not much action here. Fogg got his second strike-out, and he’s at 57 pitches (37 strikes).
Colorado
Four up, three down. Matsui hits a grounder to shortstop and beats out the throw, according to the umpire (the replay showed different)… More fodder for Arizona’s “luck” brigade. Hernandez is at 78 pitches (48 strikes).
Sixth Inning
Arizona
A TBS anchor commiserates with Arizona: “The more and more I see this series go the more I agree with what [Eric] Byrnes said about Arizona’s breaks.” Fogg’s at 76 pitches (46 strikes).
Colorado
The Rockies get two of their first three batters on base. Tulowitzki is called out looking for out number two. The drizzle won’t go away. Torrealba takes a full count and … Hernandez is taking his time and … home run! It’s 4 to 1.
Jeff Baker hits a single and that’s it for Hernandez. Hernandez leaves the game with 102 pitches (60 strikes), 4 srike-outs, 8 hits and a 6.35 ERA. Tony Pena fans Willy Taveras, and gets out of the inning with five pitches (4 strikes).
Seventh Inning
Arizona
Three up, three down. Jeremy Affeldt’s pitching for Colorado, and he uses 11 pitches (6 strikes) in the inning.
Colorado
Arizona puts Doug Slaten on the mound. Hey people, we’ve got our first intentional walk of the night. Runners are on first and second, Hawpe’s up and there are two outs. According to TBS, Hawpe led the National League with 66 two-out RBIs in the regular season. He’s got a full count. Runners are running. Here comes the pitch — it’s a ball. Bases loaded. Slaten is pulled (23 pitches, 11 strikes). Tulowitzki’s up. Dustin Nippert (great name) is pitching. Tulo pops it up and here comes the eighth inning.
Eighth Inning
Arizona
Brian Fuentes pitches for Colorado. Two pop-ups and a strikeout and the Rockies are three outs from a 3-0 lead in the series. (13 pitches, 8 strikes)
Colorado
Three up three down.
Ninth Inning
Arizona
Manny Corpas takes the stripe for Colorado. Tony Clark takes him to a full count, and then lines out to left field. Mark Reynolds, who scored Arizona’s only run, pops up to Matsui. Justin Upton grounds out, and the Rockies win the ballgame.
