Arizona Diamondbacks 3 Colorado Rockies 4 (April 3, 2007)
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It was a blistery cold night at Coors Field in downtown Denver, and the score was reflective of the temperature.
Both starting pitchers pitched well enough, and deep enough to help their respective teams win.
Jeff Francis threw six strong innings striking out 4, allowing 7 hits, walking 2, and gave up 2 earned runs
Livan Hernandez threw 7 impressive innings, allowing only 5 hits, strking out 4, walking 2, and also have up 2 earned runs.
The Rox struck quickly, scoring in each of the first two innings. In the first on a Matt Holliday single, which scored Willy Taveras. In the second it was Kaz Matsui singling in Chris Ianetta, which brought the score to 2-0 in favor of the Rockies.
After that Hernandez glided through the next five innings.
Francis took both runs in a strong fifth inning rally by the D-Backs. Orlando Hudson brought in Conor Jackson, and then Eric Byrnes subsequentally brought Hudson around to score later on.
Pitching was then dominant again, with both bullpens providing each team a shot to win. The Rockies pen threw five scoreless innings, while the D-Backs pen threw three scoreless innings.
The game went into extra innings, with no real drama.
Then came the eleventh inning. Out comes Byung-Hyun Kim, in his first bullpen stint with the Rockies this year. BK got the first two batters out. Then Chris Snyder drew a walk, and Alberto Callaspo got hit by a pitch. With two men on, Stephen Drew came up to bat. A righty/lefty matchup, and nobody in the bullpen warming up.
Drew singled to right, bringing Snyder in to score, on a close play at the plate.
Bottom of the 11th. Helton-Holliday-Hawpe to come up, in comes Valverde. Helton approached the plate, and promptly singled to the opposite field. Holliday also drives a single to the opposite field. Helton on second, Holliday at first. In comes a much quicker Jamey Carroll to pinch run for Helton. Hawpe is up to bat, sees a pitch, takes a hack at it, and grounds into a double play.
Carroll on third. The 22 year old rookie Tulowitzki is up to bat. Takes a few pitches. Then, the rookie connected to deep right field. Eric Byrnes jumped and attempted to catch the ball, but it ricocheted of Byrnes' wrist, Carroll scored from third, and Tulowitzki wound up on second, with a double.
Now it's the other rookies chance at bat. Chris Iannetta who is 23, and will turn 24 April 8, was up at bat, with two outs and a Tulo at second. Ianetta connected with a pitch, down the third baseline.......
....and right under the glove of third basemen Alberto Callaspo. In comes Tulowitzki from second, and that's the game. Valverde took the loss allowing 2 runs (1 earned), Callaspo got charged with a fielding error. Byung-Hyun Kim took the victory, allowing one earned run, in an innings work.
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