Rockies Survive Late Rally, Increase Wild Card Lead to Five

Padres Almost Pull It Off

San Diego puts up four runs in a wild ninth inning but it’s not enough as the Rockies hold on for the 11-10 win. Matt Belisle (2-1), the 2nd of 8 Rockie pitchers on the night, got the win.

San Diego also might have lost right fielder Edgar Gonzalez who left the game with a partially separated left shoulder after diving for Clint Barmes’ inside-the-park homer in the seventh inning.

Crazy 8's

The Rockies are on pitcher No. 8 and the Padres have scored two in the ninth thanks to an Oscar Salazar triple to make it 11-8 Colorado.

Not Exactly A Pitchers' Duel

Neither starter made it out of the 3rd inning in this one as the two teams have combined for 10 pitchers, 21 hits and 16 runs so far. The Rockies lead 10-6 in the 8th.

Rockies Look To Extend Wild Card Lead Against Padres

The Rox don't want to fall into the Padres' trap tonight.  They're four games up over the Giants in the Wild Card race and they have a chance to extend that lead tonight as they take on red-hot San Diego.  As Rockies' blog Purple Row notes, the Padres will not lie down quietly for Colorado:

As I mentioned ad nauseum in the NL West Report yesterday, the Padres have managed to go four consecutive weeks without suffering a losing week.  Look at the roster and the schedule, and you had better respect that.  In fact, San Diego has won 10 of their past 13 series (and 12 of 16), with two of the losses coming against the mighty Cardinals.  Four of the wins came against playoff contenders on the road.

Edward Mujica (3-4) takes the mound for Padres while Jorge De La Rosa (15-9) will try to shut San Diego down for Colorado.