The backdrop was straight out of a Chamber of Commerce brochure: Sun splashing on Coors Field, a slight breeze cooling the paid crowd of 42,032.
But the performance was no Monet. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki made two errors and the Rockies delivered only two hits with runners in scoring position. When it comes to September, however, there are no ugly victories.
They Etch-a-Sketched their way to a 4-3 win, preventing widespread panic downtown as second baseman Clint Barmes made a diving catch to turn a nifty double play for the final outs.
“It’s the best catch that anyone has ever made behind me,” closer Huston Street said.
The Rockies’ wild-card lead remained 2-1/2 games over the charging Atlanta Braves, who finished off a sweep of the hapless Washington Nationals earlier in the day.
The Rockies’ magic number against the Braves sits at five games with six remaining. But it has begun to feel like a tragic number as the Braves have carved the Rockies’ lead from 8-1/2 games over the past 16 days.
Colorado rallied to win the series against the National League Central champs. The Rockies trailed 3-2 after Albert Pujols crushed a three-run double in the third inning. Pujols is 10-for-16 with 34 RBIs with bases loaded this season.
The Rockies countered his muscle with their speed. Eric Young Jr. forced Pujols into a fielding error in the fifth on a slow groundball. Young raced to first as Pujols bobbled the ball. And Carlos Gonzalez quickly plated Young with a double down the right-field line. Todd Helton then knocked in Gonzalez for the Rockies’ final run.
Manager Jim Tracy took no chance securing the win. He used Street for his first two-inning save since Aug. 2, 2006. It didn’t come easily. With runners on first and third in the ninth, Ryan Ludwick muscled a jam shot toward right field. Just as it appeared poised to fall safely onto the grass Barmes made an over-the-shoulder catch.
He rolled to the ground, disoriented, when Ryan Spilborghs pointed to throw to first to double off Pujols for the final out.
“It was a great play,” Spilborghs said. “We know we’re still in a good position after this weekend.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
