The last hot dog, and the Rockies, didn’t go down easy.
We’ll always have relish.
It was Goodbye Day. Goodbye to the Rockies’ season at home; goodbye to the postseason; goodbye to Joe Torre as the Dodgers’ manager; goodbye, probably, to several of the Rockies’ players and, possibly, to a coach or two; goodbye to the smell of a freshly mowed field, the crack of the ash bat and the pop of the ball into the glove; goodbye to the peanuts and Cracker Jack; goodbye to Tucson in the spring, Philadelphia in the fall; goodbye to the 2.88 million fans who turned out for fireworks and walkoffs, blowouts and burnouts, and CarGo, Tulo & Ubaldo in LoDo. And, goodbye to a sensational start to September at the ballpark and a staggering finish; goodbye to baseball in Denver for an 18th time. Where have the seasons gone?
Just wait till next year. Take us back out to the ballgame.
There will be many days ahead of cold and snow in Colorado to analyze and criticize.
But, on a getaway goodbye Wednesday, it was time to sit back in the warmth of a delightful Denver afternoon, put the disappointment, the mind and the cellphone aside, and enjoy the view to a thrill.
Troy Tulowitzki — the Robin who became Batman in the last month of the season — tripled toward the trees in the second inning and scored the first run — on a sacrifice fly by Todd Helton.
No goodbyes on this day for Todd. He will return for his 2,000th game in a Rockies uniform next season. Jason Giambi, with a biceps injury, already has said his goodbye to Coors Field. He had been a solid addition the past two years.
The Dodgers got five in the third — the first on a walk with the bases packed, the last four on a not-so-grand slam.
Lamentably, this had been the Rox’s downfall in losing eight of nine. Faulty starting pitching and failure at the plate.
“Beer here,” the vendor bellowed. He had many takers.
After he singled in the fourth, Tulowitzki scored again to make it 5-2. Without Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, the Rox would have disappeared by August. Without Ubaldo Jimenez, the Rockies never would have materialized in May and June.
The Rockies, eliminated from all playoff contention Tuesday night, scored two runs in the fifth — Tulo had another single — and cut the lead to 7-5.
Here they come again. They had been spindled and mutilated at home of late, but never folded.
In the seventh inning, the Rockies loaded the bases with two outs. Guess who had gotten his fourth hit? Yes, Tulo. However, Melvin Mora, a player who certainly deserves to bring his bat and his quintup-lets back to the Rockies, flied to right.
The Rockies went politely in the eighth.
But, in the ninth, they filled the bases, again. Would there be one more rally in a season of 52 home victories?
“Could I have a final-final hot dog — mustard, onions and, yes, with relish, please?”
Cargo was robbed on a screamer to second. He has not been robbed of a magnificent season (.338, 34 homers and 34 doubles, 117 RBIs). The Rockies will have two players among the top five in MVP voting.
Tulo, the co-MVP, walked after going 4-for-4.
Helton singled, and Ryan Spilborghs did too. Seth Smith grounded out to send Tulowitzki home with his fourth run.
The hot dog was gone, but not the Rox.
7-6, two outs, two runners on.
Miguel Olivo hit the ball to short. Last chance. Last out. No triumph, no tacos.
The Rockies did their traditional encore goodbye — walking to various sections of the stands, shaking hands, posing for photos, taking kids to home plate and handing out souvenirs.
Jimenez stood next to the dugout, making his last pitches at home — pitching caps, bags and balls until there were no more. He had won 15 games before the all-star break. But, like the last two pitchers who had achieved the same feat and started at the All-Star Game — Greg Maddux and David Wells — he faltered in the second half. He still has one chance at the lofty 20 level.
Then, there was only one man left on the diamond.
Jim Tracy, with a second exceptional season as the Rox manager, was applauded, then he returned the applause to the crowd and waved goodbye.
“Spring training is coming,” he said.
Spring training in a new complex, with new people and new attitudes.
“We have done some special things the past two seasons and knocked on the door,” Tracy said. “I promise the best fans I’ve ever been around that next season we’re going to do everything we can to knock down that door.”
Farewell to 2010.
Fare well in 2011, Rockies.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
