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Home > Sports >Colorado Rockies make playoffs with tiebreaker win
Colorado Rockies make playoffs with tiebreaker win
DENVER (AP)
The Blake Street Bombers gave way to Colorado's Comeback Kids.
The NL wild card came down to a wild, 13-inning finish Monday night that put Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies into the playoffs and sent Trevor Hoffman and the San Diego Padres home weary and dazed.
Holliday raced home on Jamey Carroll's shallow fly ball, capping a three-run rally against the all-time saves leader and giving the Rockies a 9-8 win in baseball's longest one-game tiebreaker.
The Rockies, winners of 14 of 15, will open the playoffs at Philadelphia on Wednesday in their first postseason appearance since the Blake Street Bombers lost to Atlanta in the first round in 1995. Colorado trailed 8-6 when Kaz Matsui and Troy Tulowitzki, who had four hits, lined back-to-back doubles off Hoffman. Then Holliday tripled off the wall in right to tie it.
After Todd Helton was intentionally walked, Carroll hit a low line drive to right fielder Brian Giles and Holliday took off before third base coach Mike Gallego could send him.
"There wasn't time for Gags to say anything. I didn't have time to think what I was doing. I was just going to go for it," Holliday said. "It'sthe greatest part of the game." Giles' throw home bounced in front of catcher Michael Barrett, who couldn't hold on as Holliday swiped the plate, then lay face-down after cutting his chin with his headfirst slide. Umpire Tim McClelland made a delayed safe call, and replays were inconclusive on whether Holliday touched the plate with his left hand or was blocked by Barrett's left foot.
Holliday said he wasn't sure if he touched the plate. "The ump said I was safe," Holliday said. "I don't remember. But I hit my chin pretty good." Said Padres manager Bud Black: "It looked to me like he did get it."
Helton, the subject of trade rumors last winter, is heading to the postseason for the first time in his 11-year career. His 1,578 games in the majors are the third-most by any active player without a playoff appearance. His teammates loved watching Helton celebrate. "He deserves a chance to play in the postseason," Holliday said.
The Rockies won the longest game at Coors Field this season behind Holliday, the MVP candidate who clinched the NL batting title at .340. His triple also gave him the league RBI crown with 137, one more than Philadelphia's Ryan Howard.
After Scott Hairston's two-run homer put the Padres ahead in the top of the 13th, Colorado came back against Hoffman (4-5), who could do little but walk off the mound with his head down. It was sweet atonement for Holliday, who misplayed Giles' two-out flyball in the eighth inning into a tying RBI double.
After stranding runners at second in the 10th, 11th and 12th off Matt Herges, the Padres broke through against Julio. Giles drew a leadoff walk and Hairston homered into the bleachers in left-center.
The Rockies didn't flinch."We were just telling each other it's not over and we've got to battle" Helton said.
