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Oct 3, 2007 

LIVEBLOG: GAME 1 NLDS - Rockies at Phillies

Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA. 80 degrees, cloudy

COLORADO STARTING LINEUP
1. K. Matsui 2B, 2. T. Tulowitzki SS, 3. M. Holliday LF, 4. T. Helton 1B, 5. G. Atkins 3B, 6. B. Hawpe RF, 7. R. Spilborghs CF, 8. Y. Torrealbo C, 9. J. Francis P.

PHILADELPHIA STARTING LINEUP
1. J. Rollins SS, 2. S. Victorino RF, 3. C. Utley 2B, 4. R. Howard 1B, 5. A. Rowand CF, 6. P. Burrell LF, 7. W. Helms 3B, 8. C. Ruiz C, 9. C. Hamels P.


////1ST INNING////
COL: The Rockies went down easy in the first, but you get the sense that they were loose and still confident from their long winning streak. In the playoffs, you have to keep an eye on young pitchers. Philly's Cole Hamels looked satisfactory. He's going to have to get that sinker going, though.

PHI: We should be reminded that Colorado's Jeff Francis is also a fine young pitcher who won 17 games this year. I mention it because you can't start your postseason career any better than striking out the side in the first.

////2ND INNING////
COL: Somehow, the wheels fell off Hamels. In hindsight, he seemed to be nibbling in the first....You've got to be careful with veterans like Todd Helton who have been shutout of the postseason for their entire career. It's not surprising that his leadoff triple cracked Hamels concentration. ROCKIES 3, PHILLIES 0.

PHI: Francis struckout Ryan Howard for his fourth straight K. What a message to send to Philly. He struckout the Rollins, Utley and Howard, the main cogs to the Phillies engine.

////3RD INNING////
COL: It was important for Hamels to bounce back with a quiet third. It's possible that he's settled in and the pressure is going to be on Colorado to make due with three or four runs in this one.

PHI: The Phils finally got a hit against Francis, but Rollins--the leader of this team--bounced into a rally-ending double play. Rollins is going to have to shake this team in next few innings.

////4TH INNING////
COL: The Rox went down in order in the fourth. After Hamels walked in a run in the second, he's retired seven straight. If Philly can get something going offensively, that walk to Tulowitzki oddly could be the turning point.

PHI: TBS' Joe Simpson noted that the Phillies have behind in the count 0-2 six times through four innings. Sometimes that could portend for something good offensively because it means the pitcher is around the strike zone, but generally today, Francis is not getting the Phillies to bite on pitches outside the zone. A great debut for Francis.

////5TH INNING////
COL: That's ten straight retired since the walk in the second. A nice play by Phils 3B Wes Helms. On a play like that it's also nice to have a huge target in Howard at first.

PHI: The Phillies have awaken and the crowd is back into this one. Back-to back homers by Aaron Rowand and Pat Burrell have the Rockies on the mat. Both homers had the hallmarks of Citizens Bank Park, short blasts that landing in the first row. Nowhere else other than Wrigley Field would those be out...Keep an eye on Rollins. Look at his facial expression--he's pressing already. ROCKIES 3, PHILLIES 2.

////6TH INNING////
COL: Fourteen straight down. Hamels's pitch count is getting up there. The seventh should be his last and the Rockies could take their chances with Philly's bullpen.

PHI: Rollins, Utley and Howard are 0 for 8 with six strikeouts. The rest of the lineup can't make up for their lack of production and have a chance in this series.

////7TH INNING////
COL: The Rox finally ran Hamels out of the game. After a shaky start Hamels stats look very, well, Hamel-like: 6 2/3 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 4 BB, 7 K. Philly reliever Tom Gordon did a nice job to strand Spilborghs at second. Gordon still has that signature 12-to-6 curveball.

PHI: Francis leaves the game. His stats: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K. Former Giant LaTroy Hawkins enters the game. Nice nine-pitch walk for Greg Dobbs, especially while pinch-hitting. Unfortunately, Ruiz grounded into an inning-ending double play.

////8TH INNING////
COL: The Rox strike first in this battle of bullpens. Matt Holliday hits a homer to left center. J.C. Romero enters the game. His slider is very crisp today as it was evident on Helton's pop up to short. Nice play by Rollins at short. It's amazing how he got off such an accurate throw on that play. ROCKIES 4, PHILLIES 2.

PHI: Set up man Brian Fuentes enters the game for Colorado. After walking the leadoff man and going 3-2 to Rollins, Fuentes retires the side and will give way to Manuel Corpas in the ninth. How can a guy like Utley who hit .332 during the regular season strikeout four times? Nerves? A burgeoning storyline in this series seems to be the pressing of Rollins, Utley and possibly Howard.

////9TH INNING////
COL: Brett Myers enters the game. Is this why Myers is such an enigma? After repeatedly flipping crisp breaking balls for strikes to the first two hitters, he suddenly stopped after giving up an infield single to Torrealba and a single to Cory Sullivan. Now he's missing badly to Matsui.

PHI: Manuel Corpas looked sharp in the ninth, but he did get three pivotal strikes from umpire Dale Scott, two way low and a called strike three clearly inside to Howard. The Rockies win to take a 1-0 lead in this series. Their 15th win in the their last 16.

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COL 030 000 010 - 4 6 0
PHI 000 020 000 - 2 4 0
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WP-Francis 1-0
LP-Hamels 0-1
SV-Corpas 1
HR-Rowand, Burrell, Holliday.

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