MEDIA CLIPS – Sept. 28, 2018

HRs push Rox to 7th straight W, cusp of berth Dahl goes deep in fourth consecutive game to shrink magic number to 2

Thomas Harding | MLB.com | Sept. 27, 2018

DENVER -- The week of could be ushering in a new age for the Rockies.

Dahl homered for the fourth straight game and added an RBI as the Rockies beat the Phillies, 5-3, to complete a four-game sweep at , push their win streak to seven games -- and extend their lead atop the National

League West to a full game over the Dodgers.

The Rockies can clinch a postseason berth as early as Friday. If the Cardinals lose to the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday afternoon, and the Rockies beat the Nationals on Friday night -- with the sizzling starting -- Colorado is in.

"I just show up, trying to get ready, do my routine," said Dahl, who began the season in Triple-A and missed time at midseason with a fractured right foot but is hitting .319 with seven home runs and 23 RBIs this month. "Showing up at the ballpark, trying to help the team win is all I'm really doing right now."

If big hits and home runs are part of the routine, the Rockies will take it. Dahl homered in each game of the series and riddled the Phillies for 11 RBIs, went deep in his second straight game to take the team lead with 35 (one more than Nolan Arenado) and Gerardo Parra added a pinch- shot to open the seventh for his first homer in 172 at- bats.

Add to all that a solid bullpen effort -- two runs over 4 1/3 innings -- and the Rockies are smelling a chance not only to make consecutive postseason trips for the first time in their 26-season history, but win their first division crown. And the

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streak, which has seen the Rox outscore their opponents, 52-10, came after suffering a three game sweep -- at Dodger

Stadium, of all places -- to temporarily fall out of first place.

"This time of year, there's a really heightened focus," Rockies manager said. "Our guys, our baseball aptitude, our baseball IQ shows every day. That's a big part of our success."

With two outs in the first, Dahl sent Jake Arrieta's 0-1 over the center-field wall for his 13th homer in his 73 games. Dahl also hit a two- homer in Monday's 10-1 victory over the Phils, followed by three-run shots in Tuesday's

10-3 victory and Wednesday's 14-0 triumph. In the second, Story's homer and a wild pitch by Arrieta (10-11) after Carlos

Gonzalez doubled and moved on Andrew Knapp's passed ball, made it 3-0.

Dahl's homer streak matched the club's longest of the season, as Arenado went deep in four straight from June 19-22.

But his more important hit, however, came in the seventh. After Parra homered off reliever Tommy Hunter and Charlie

Blackmon doubled, Dahl pulled a one-out triple into the right-field corner for a 5-1 lead.

"I think the ball might've hit me in the chest if I'd took it, but I was fortunate to find some barrel and get the runner in," Dahl said.

The two-run inning proved important. Reliever Adam Ottavino, the Rockies' primary setup man, hit , gave up a two-run Carlos Santana homer and walked Dylan Cozens. Then, the control showed up, and Ottavino fanned Scott

Kingery, Knapp and Pedro Florimon.

It was a heavy bullpen day. Starter lacked fastball command and bowed out after 95 pitches in 4 2/3 innings. Relying on secondary pitches, Senzatela held the Phillies to one run -- Jose Bautista's third-inning homer.

"I see that as growth, maturity-wise," Senzatela said in Spanish, with first-base coach Tony Diaz translating. "Good find a way to keep you in games, whether or not you have your command."

Scott Oberg (8-1) fanned Santana to end the fifth with two on, and struck out three in 1 1/3 innings. Seunghwan

Oh fanned two and gave up a hit in the seventh. After the eventful Ottavino inning, Wade Davis gave up a leadoff Cesar

Hernandez single before retiring three straight -- two via -- to earn his club-record 42nd save. Davis entered

Thursday tied with Jose Jimenez (2002) and Greg Holland ('17).

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MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Senzatela fanned the first two batters in the fifth and nearly escaped with enough innings for a win, but Roman

Quinn walked and Hoskins tapped a single past third base against a shifted defense. Black turned to Oberg, who has been a difference-maker since returning from an option to Triple-A Albuquerque in late April.

Oberg fell behind Santana, 2-0, stepped off the mound -- "re-gathered myself," he said -- and worked back into the count with two . Then he enticed Santana to chase a slider in the dirt.

The three blowout victories over the Phillies allowed Black to use Oberg and Oh just once and give Ottavino and Davis three days of rest. But Oberg figured a tight game was coming. "The offense has been great the last few days, but we know it's unrealistic to put up 10 runs every single night," Oberg said. "Today was a grind."

SOUND SMART

On Sept. 26, 1995, the the 3-year-old Rockies used 's two home runs and three RBIs to win at Dodger

Stadium, 7-3, and take first by a half-game. But the Dodgers won the next day, 7-4, and never relinquished first place.

Thursday's victory put the Rockies in first place the latest in a season in terms of date, total games played and games remaining. Back in 1995, the Rox were in first with four games left in a season shortened to 144 games because of a labor strike that wiped out the end of the previous season and the postseason.

HE SAID IT

"There really wasn't a thought that we were in trouble. It was obviously not the best showing. It's not like we were pumped about losing three games. But we knew there was still ball left to play. We're a very tough team. I've said that a lot this year. Getting swept was real tough. How we responded was huge, and we're still doing it." -- Story, on how the Rockies rebounded from being swept by the Dodgers from Sept. 17-19

UP NEXT

The Rockies begin the final regular-season set with the Nationals with one of this season's most accomplished pitchers,

Freeland (16-7, 2.84 ERA), against Nats righty (0-1, 4.09). Not only is it a good time to turn to Freeland, but

Denver -- his hometown -- is a perfect place. He is 9-2 and the Rockies are 12-2 in his 14 starts at Coors Field, where

Friday's game starts at 6:10 p.m. MT.

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With an assist from Chicago, Rockies can clinch postseason berth on Friday with win over Nationals Colorado, a game up over Los Angeles, can take another step toward cementing its first-ever West title as well

Kyle Newman | Denver Post | Sept. 27, 2018

Denver-born ace Kyle Freeland chasing history. Fireworks. And the possibility to clinch a postseason berth in consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history.

What more reason do you need to come out to Coors Field on Friday night?

The Rockies take on the Nationals for a 6:10 p.m. first pitch, and should the Cardinals lose to the Cubs earlier in the day,

Colorado can clinch a playoff spot with a win over Washington.

Colorado can also take another step toward cementing its first-ever National League West title as well, for the Rockies currently hold a one-game lead on Los Angeles.

And to shove them closer to the goal, they’ll look for an eighth straight win behind a hometown southpaw who is turning in the best starting pitching campaign in franchise history.

Freeland’s 2.84 overall season ERA entering Friday is a smidgen better than Ubaldo Jimenez’s single-season club record of 2.88 from 2010. And Freeland’s also on pace to break the single-season home ERA record, as his 2.36 mark in 14 starts at Coors Field is better than Jorge de la Rosa’s 2.76 in 2013.

After the game — and perhaps while Colorado is celebrating in the clubhouse — the team will put on its third and final fireworks show of the season.

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Rockies sweep Phillies to open 1-game lead in NL West over Dodgers

Kyle Newman | Denver Post | Sept. 27, 2018

Destiny resides with the Rockies. If they can take care of it this weekend, they will be National League West champions for the first time in their 26-year history.

The Rockies took a step closer Thursday afternoon with a 5-3 victory over the Phillies, sweeping the four-game series at

Coors Field. It was Colorado’s seventh consecutive victory, a late-season run that does not surprise manager Bud Black.

“This time of year, there is a really high focus, and I think our baseball I.Q. and our aptitude shows up every game,” Black said of a team that’s in first place later in the season than any team in franchise history. “I think that’s a big part of our success. Is it tough this time of year? Sure it is, but it’s tough everywhere.

“All teams go through this at the end. These are, obviously, high-stress, nerve-racking games. But I (like) the makeup of our guys.”

But not without some sweaty palms and rapid heartbeats in the eighth inning at Coors Field when Adam Ottavino gave up a two-run before striking out the side.

Closer Wade Davis struck out two in the ninth for the save as Colorado claimed its seventh consecutive victory. Solo home runs by the sizzling David Dahl, Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra, and a group effort on the mound, got the job done for Colorado. Davis’ save was his 42nd, setting a club record.

Heading into the final three games of the regular season, the Rockies (89-70) hold a one-game lead over the Dodgers in the National League West. Simply put, if the Rockies can win out this weekend against Washington, they will capture the first division title in their 26-year-history, regardless of what the Dodgers do. Los Angeles was off Thursday.

In addition, if the Rockies beat the Nationals on Friday night, and if the Cardinals lose at the on Friday afternoon, the Rockies will clinch at least a wild-card berth. It would mark the first time in franchise history that Colorado would qualify for the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The Rockies were a wild-card team last season.

The Phillies, who have lost eight consecutive games, looked like a disinterested team nearly the entire series and were outscored 39-6. 5

The Rockies, conversely, are peaking, thanks in large measure to their excellent pitching. Over the last nine games,

Rockies starters are 6-0 with a 1.47 ERA, with 53 vs. 15 walks.

Right-hander Antonio Senzatela was not super sharp Thursday, running up a high pitch count, but he hung tough. His only big mistake was yielding a two-out, solo home run to Jose Bautista in the third inning. In 4 ⅔ innings, Senzatela gave up five hits, including doubles to Dylan Cozens and Scott Kingery in the fourth, as well as three walks. But when he departed in the fifth, having thrown 95 pitches, the Rockies led 3-1.

Manager Bud Black turned to his bullpen early and and Seunghwan combined for a flawless 2 ⅓ innings.

Ottavino, the other member of the Rockies’ bullpen “O-Zone,” got into trouble quickly in the eighth, hitting leadoff hitter

Rhys Hoskins, setting up Carlos Santana’s two-run home run to left. After walking Dylan Cozens, Ottavino was on the ropes, but Black stuck with him. Ottavino came through. He struck out Kingery, Andrew Knapp and Pedro Florimon to end the inning.

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Write David Dahl’s name in permanent ink in the Rockies’ lineup. It’ll be there so long as he’s healthy. Dahl homered in his fourth consecutive game on Thursday, the latest elite performance in a month that’s been chalk full of them

Kyle Newman | Denver Post | Sept. 27, 2018

David Dahl‘s no longer the rookie wonder who rattled off a 17-game hit streak to begin his career in 2016. He isn’t an injury-plagued player with promise either, like he was in 2017, nor a mere catch-phrase — i.e. “The Real Dahl”, “Better

Call Dahl” — to roll off the tongue when he appeared off the bench earlier this season.

Dahl, the real deal, has arrived as the Rockies’ potential star of the future. And his stellar September indicates that the emerging slugger will likely have his name written in permanent ink in the Colorado lineup for the rest of the season and long into future.

“He’s been banged up a little bit, and now we’re seeing a little bit of maturity and the results of fighting through some things and coming through on the other side,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “That’s helped him from a mental side, and there’s no doubt his skill set plays in the big leagues and he’s doing it right now before our very eyes in important games.”

The 24-year-old homered in his fourth consecutive game on Thursday, the latest elite performance in a month that’s been chalk full of them.

“I’m seeing the ball well and I’m swinging at strikes, which is the main thing,” Dahl said after Thursday’s game. “Playing every day and being up in the lineup has also helped me get into a rhythm.”

Dahl is hitting .319 (23-for-72) with seven home runs and 23 RBIs in 17 starts in September while also flashing defensive prowess that should make him a leading candidate to swap places with in center field heading into

2019.

In Dahl’s rampage this week, he became the first Colorado player to homer in four consecutive games against

Philadelphia while also driving in 11 in the Rockies’ critical four-game sweep.

“You get some confidence when you’re hitting the ball on the nose and taking aggressive swings,” Black said. “David’s in a good spot — he’s timed up on the fastball, he’s using the whole field, he’s doing a great job of taking what they’re giving him.”

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Dahl hit three opposite-field home runs across the first three games of the series. On Thursday he homered to center in the first inning and then turned on an inside cutter for an RBI triple to right in the seventh, at which time the hometown crowd rose for a standing ovation.

They, too, knew this young man is here to stay as a purple-pinstriped mainstay.

Looking ahead

Nationals RHP Joe Ross (0-1, 4.09 ERA) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (16-7, 2.84), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM

Freeland goes for club history in his final regular season start, as his current ERA is .04 better than Ubaldo Jimenez’s mark of 2.88 in 2010. The southpaw tossed seven shutout innings in his last start against the Diamondbacks and hasn’t given up more than three runs in an outing since July 21. Freeland continues to dominates lefty hitters to the tune of a .178 average, and he’ll look to improve upon what is the best home pitching season in Coors Field history with his 9-2 record and 2.36 ERA. Ross was activated on Sept. 4 following rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery, and he makes his third start of the season after tossing six innings of three-run ball against the Mets last week. He has yet to give up a home run.

Saturday: Nationals TBA at Rockies RHP (12-8, 4.91), 6:10 p.m., ATTRM

Sunday: Nationals TBA at Rockies TBA, 2:10 p.m. ATTRM

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Former Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning fires up Coors Field during Rockies’ final homestand Colorado skipper Bud Black has been trying to get Manning to pump up Coors Field since meeting the quarterback last season

Kyle Newman | Denver Post | Sept. 27, 2018

Rockies manager Bud Black has been trying to recruit the services of Peyton Manning for a while now, hoping the former

Broncos quarterback could somehow inject his energy into Coors Field.

And during Thursday’s series finale against the Phillies, The Sheriff delivered the goods to get the hometown crowd roaring in what is the final pivotal homestand of Colorado’s playoff push.

Manning, who played in Denver from 2012-15 and won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos, appeared on Coors Field’s recently renovated jumbotron to pump up the fans in the seventh inning of Colorado’s game against Philadelphia.

Todd Helton’s former college teammate at the University of Tennessee implored the Rockies’ faithful. “Get on your feet, let’s go Rockies,” he said. They did so, rising from their seats en masse as Colorado held a commanding 5-1 lead over the Philadelphia, looking for the sweep.

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“We’re going to win the division”: On a warm late-September afternoon at Coors Field, Rockies fans itch for Rocktober Leading division, streaking team heads into final weekend homestand of the season.

Sam Tabachnik | Denver Post | Sept. 27, 2018

Curtis Peckham has been to nearly every home game over the past two weeks.

He’s brought his brother, Ken. He’s brought his son. No matter who’s in town, or who’s next to him, Peckham is going to keep coming to see the Rockies — every game until they’re knocked out. He loves baseball, loves his Rockies. But it’s more than that now.

He’s coming for his dad.

“This is my little homage to him,” Peckham said Thursday afternoon outside Coors Field, before the Rockies took on, and ultimately beat, the .

Peckham’s father died Sept. 3. A maniacal Rockies fan for the team’s entire existence, Peckham wheeled his father into the park even after two heart attacks.

“I don’t think he could see very well or hear very well,” Peckham said, “but I think it was just about the ambiance.”

Peckham’s father loved this year’s team — a team that, just a week ago, looked to be fading after a sweep at the hands of the hated . Now, after another victory Thursday afternoon, Rockies fans are riding high — cautiously optimistic that their team could win its first division title in franchise history this weekend. All that remains is a three-game series against the beginning Friday night.

Some long-suffering fanbases are always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Think pre-2004 Boston Red Sox, or every

Cleveland Browns fan. But not these fans. Not this season.

“I think people are all optimistic,” said Russ Thompson, a retiree who moved to Colorado 55 years ago from Chicago. “I don’t see anyone waiting for something bad to happen. Everyone is hopeful we’re going to win out. The Dodgers and

Cardinals are going to fall on their noses and we’re going to have a great year.”

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Seven-year-old Jake Terch came to Thursday’s game with his grandmother, getting out of school early to root on his squad.

“This is my favorite team ever,” Jake said, cloaked in a white pinstriped uniform, with a purple Rockies hat perched on his head. “I think we’re going to win the division.”

Kim Moore, Jake’s grandmother, has owned season tickets with her late husband since 2000. Since her husband died, she figured this will be the last year they’ll keep the tickets.

“That’s why Jack got out of school today,” she said. “We’re sitting in grandpa’s seats.”

For Moore and other fans, this year’s Rockies are reminiscent of the magical 2007 team that won 13 of its last 14 games to end the regular season, culminating in its first appearance. (Fans will remember, though, that things went south quickly as the Rockies were swept by the Red Sox.)

“I love all the guys,” she said. “Each of them has individual personality. They all just seem really nice. I almost want it more for them than us.”

Cal Ebert, a Broomfield native, has been watching the Rockies day in and day out for 25 years. He’s in his third season as an usher at Coors Field, checking tickets and pointing fans to their seats along the right-field line. Ebert said this team might even be stronger than the vaunted 2007 squad.

“This team’s got more speed, more power,” he said, as third baseman Nolan Arenado cruised into second base with a third-inning . “It’s a lot easier to come to work when we’re playing like this.”

After Thursday’s 5-3 victory, the Rockies have won seven straight — one game up on the Dodgers for the division lead.

The season will come down to a weekend clash with the Nationals at Coors Field. If the Rockies win out, they’re in the playoffs.

And you better believe Curtis Peckham will be there — as long his team, his father’s team, keeps trotting onto the diamond. “It’s been one of those, kind of…” he trailed off, searching for the right works. “I just know that I should be here.

You know?”

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Rockies 5, Phillies 3: Colorado extends division lead with sweep The Rockies magic number for the division is 3

Eric Garcia McKinley | Purple Row | Sept. 27, 2018

It wasn’t nearly as lopsided as the first three games of the series, but the Rockies beat the Phillies 5-3 to complete the four-game sweep. The Rockies have now won seven consecutive games (!) and are ahead of the Dodgers(!!) by a full game (!!!) for first place (!!!!) in the National League West (!!!!!).

(!!!!!!!)

On to the details.

Dahl extends home run streak

David Dahl homered in his fourth consecutive game — a solo shot. The Rockies should probably keep him in the starting lineup throughout the weekend. Dahl finished a single and a double shy of the cycle, as he also had an RBI triple. Trevor

Story and Gerardo Parra (in a pinch-hitting appearance) also hit solo home runs.

Senz-enough

Antonio Senzatela had the type of game that would be considered a minor blemish at a different point in the season. At this point — with a big bullpen and an offense rolling to back you up — it was all the Rockies needed. Senzatela pitched

2 4 ⁄3 innings while giving up a run and five hits. He worked out of trouble a couple of times and left with two runners on base. It wasn’t great, but it was a good showing for someone who could find himself in the postseason bullpen.

Looking ahead

There’s just one series of the season left, and the Rockies are in the driver’s seat. Check our outcomes matrix to see all the possible scenarios for the final weekend of the 2018 season. Here’s the cliff notes version: The Rockies magic number for the their first division title is three.

The three game series against the Nationals gets started tomorrow at 6:10 MT. Kyle Freeland will make his final start

(OF THE REGULAR SEASON) against Joe Ross.

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Rockies vs. Nationals series preview: Start times, starting pitchers, key players The Rockies host Washington with the opportunity to do something they’ve never done before

Adam Peterson | Purple Row | Sept. 27, 2018

The final weekend of the regular season is here and the Colorado Rockies(89-70, 1st place NL West) will host the Washington Nationals (81-78, 2nd place in NL East) for three games starting Friday night. One team has everything to play for, and the other is obligated by the rules of to play. Folks, it all comes down to this.

The Playoff Picture

I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you: Things are pretty tight around the National League playoff picture right now. There are three games left to play and only three teams have clinched a postseason berth. What we do know is that either

Chicago (93-66) or Milwaukee (92-67) will win the NL Central and await the winner of the Wild Card Game, the other will host said Wild Card game, and the Braves (89-70) will play the NL West champion.

We also know the Rockies currently hold a one game lead over the Dodgers(88-71) in the NL West and the Cardinals (87-72) are a game behind the Dodgers for the final Wild Card spot. Yes, despite getting swept by the

Dodgers in what was the most important regular season series of the year (or in franchise history), they need some combination of wins and Dodgers losses that adds up to 3 in order to secure their first ever division title. Oh, and if the Rockies finish with a better record than the Braves this weekend, they’ll also take home field advantage into the

NLDS.

I suppose that makes this weekend’s three-game tilt against Washington the most important of the season, if not the history of the franchise.

Pitching Matchups

The thing about this year’s Rockies is that they are built on their pitching, which will sure to baffle any national pundits should the Rockies make the playoffs. They have the eighth best adjusted ERA (89 ERA-) and the ninth highest fWAR

(14.7) among rotations in baseball. The Nationals, meanwhile, have a bit of a feast-or-famine rotation. They are eighth in baseball in fWAR (14.9) but just 14th in adjusted ERA (97 ERA-), but that’s because nearly half of that fWAR total goes to one (7.3 fWAR).

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And so the biggest question for this weekend is whether Max Scherzer, fresh off his 300th strikeout and 18th win of the season, will trot out for the season finale. Or will he opt to start his offseason a day early rather than risk an injury for a game that has no further implications for the Nationals? It’s possible we won’t know until Saturday. If he doesn’t make the start, then the Rockies will have an advantage in each of these games, depending on how much you trust Jon Gray’s last start (7 IP, 1 R/ER, 7 K) as an indication of future performance.

Friday (6:10 pm MT): Kyle Freeland vs. Joe Ross

Saturday (6:40 pm MT): Jon Gray vs.

Sunday (1:10 pm MT): vs. TBA

Note the early start time on Friday due to the post-game fireworks. Get there early!

Keys to the series

It’s pretty simple for the Rockies at this point: a sweep secures the first NL West title in franchise history. A series win guarantees at least the second wild card and, pending the results of the Dodgers series, could also secure them a division title. In case you’re worried that the 73-86 Giants have nothing to play for, they adjusted their rotation so their three best starters would take the mound this weekend, including Madison Bumgarner tonight. Rivalries always have a reason.

As for what’s happening in Denver, it’s may come down to how much the Nationals are ready to get to the golf course on

Monday. The Phillies were outscored 39-7 in four games against the Rockies, and at times they looked even worse than that. The Nationals, one of the supposed Super Teams going into the season, have had one of the most disappointing years in baseball. One could understand if they wanted to just play out the string, but surely Dodgers and Cardinals fans would prefer otherwise.

The two players to keep an eye on are the young for both teams. David Dahl has had an incredible homestand for the Rockies so far, going 8-for-19 with a triple and four home runs. In the other dugout is wunderkind 19-year-old Juan

Soto, who is hitting .295/.405/.515 in 113 games for the Nats and may make it easier for them to say goodbye to Bryce

Harper. Harper is playing his final three games for the Nationals before free agency this offseason.

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Prediction

The Rockies will play in front of sell-out crowds all weekend and everyone will be intently watching the out of town scoreboard the whole time. Fortunately for the Rockies, both the Dodgers and the Cardinals play afternoon games on

Saturday, so there very well could be something to celebrate before Sunday.

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Colorado Rockies: A couple of firsts on the line this weekend

Aaron Hurt | Rox Pile | Sept. 27, 2018

The Colorado Rockies are locked in and firing on all cylinders heading into the final series of the season. Thursday, the

Rockies finished off a four-game sweep of the Phillies making it back to back sweeps and seven wins in a row.

The current seven-game winning streak has put the Colorado Rockies on the verge of accomplishing a couple of firsts for the championship-starved franchise. This weekend against the Washington Nationals, the Rockies will attempt to make the playoffs on consecutive seasons for the first time in franchise history. Most importantly, they are attempting to win their first-ever National League West division title.

This is absolutely astonishing to say considering the fact that, just a little more than a week ago, they were coming off a devastating sweep by the Los Angeles Dodgers, falling 2.5 games back of the division lead and 1.5 games back of the Wild Card.

But since then, with a little help from the Diamondbacks and Brewers, the Rockies have completely erased that deficit and now carry a one-game lead over the Dodgers and a two-game edge over the Cardinals with three games to go in the season.

The Rockies have played fantastic baseball over the past week, outscoring the Phillies 39-7 in the four-game set and an even more impressive 52-10 during their seven-game winning streak.

That play now has the Rockies one win away from guaranteeing that they will at least play a “game 163,” but sights are set much higher. The magic number is now two games from a tie for NL West and three from their first-ever division title.

And don’t forget that they are also closing in on the second seed of playoffs, giving them home field advantage in the divisional round.

Speaking of firsts, there were a few in Thursday’s game for the Rockies. Wade Davis‘ 42nd save of the season gave him the most saves in a season in club history.

Also, Gerardo Parra‘s home run to lead off the seventh had a couple firsts for him individually. It was his first homer in his last 173 at-bats this season and his first pinch hit homer in six years.

The Rockies are playing their best baseball of the season and are on the verge of something special. So get out to Coors

Field this weekend and help them accomplish some franchise firsts and start off Rocktober early. 16

Colorado Rockies: Every scenario that’s on the table for the rest of 2018

Jake Shapiro | Rox Pile | Sept. 27, 2018

Following the Colorado Rockies game on Thursday, a lot of things have changed in the National League playoff picture.

That will happen when one of the teams has one seven straight (that would be the Rockies).

Capping a sweep and a seventh straight win, the Colorado Rockies topped the Phillies 5-3 at Coors Field on a sun- splashed Thursday afternoon.

This leaves a few scenarios for the Rockies with three games left in their regular season. Let’s go from best to worst.

1) Rockies win the West with a better record than Atlanta

Colorado’s magic number to win the West is now three, meaning a combination of three Rockies wins or Dodgers losses will crown them National League West Champs for the first time ever.

In this scenario, the Rockies will likely need two or three wins to end with a better record than the Braves.

This matters because it will determine home field in the first round of the National League Division Series. The Rockies do have the tiebreaker because they went 5-2 against the Braves in 2018.

The Braves play the Mets on Thursday night, then have three with the Phillies.

Currently the Rockies are one game back of Atlanta, so a 2-1 record for the Purple and a 1-2 record from the Bravos with at least one Dodger loss should take care of that. Although if the Dodgers don’t lose one game — sweeping the Giants in the Bay — and the Rockies win two of three, while the Braves go 1-2, they will face off in a Game 163 with the winner having home field against the Braves.

Because the Rockies would be the No. 2 seed in the NL, if the NL Central winner doesn’t advance, the Rockies could have home field in the NLCS if the Wild Card winner beats out the Central winner.

2) Rockies win the West with a worse record than Atlanta

The Rockies would finish with the No. 3 seed in the NL and there are a lot of ways to get here.

If the Rockies and Braves both sweep and Atlanta wins tonight, because the Braves hold a one-game better record, they would host the NLDS. If the Rockies, Braves and Dodgers all get swept, this is where the Rockies end up.

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Essentially, if everyone holds, this is where the Rockies would end up because this is where they are today … which isn’t a bad place to be.

Sadly, this only guarantees them one game at Coors Field because the NLDS is best-of-five.

3) Game 163 for the West

The Dodgers will most likely have to sweep the Giants in San Francisco in order to force a tie atop the NL West.

Currently, Fangraphs has an over 20 percent chance that this would happen and this game would be played in California.

If the Rockies win out and finish their season on a 10-game heater, they won’t have to worry … but even 2-1 record against the Nationals this weekend means the Rockies will look for some help from the Giants.

In this scenario, the loser of this game would go to Chicago or Milwaukee to play in the NL Wild Card game. So, in order for this to happen, the Rockies and Dodgers will either need the Cardinals to open death’s door themselves or force it upon them with a sweep by the Dodgers and a 2-1 record by the Rockies over the weekend.

4) Game 163 for the West, no backup plan

Same scenario as before except the Rockies get swept or go 1-2 and the Dodgers go 1-2 or 2-1 and the Cardinals go 2-1 or win out.

The magic number for the Rockies over the Cardinals is two so they have little room to play with and this is that room.

5) NL Wild Card (spot 2)

The Rockies win one game over the weekend and the Cardinals lose at least one to the Cubs and this is where the

Rockies will find themselves. Two wins guarantees a tie with L.A., one would probably tie given the Dodgers’ struggles by the Bay and the loser would end here.

At this point, the easiest way for the Rockies to have this game would be losing 163 against the Dodgers.

6) Game 163 for NL Wild Card, spot 2

If the Rockies and Cardinals tie, this is where they’d end up. A 1-2 record by the Rockies and a sweep by the Cardinals over the weekend would see the winner of this 163 playing the Wild Card game at Wrigley Field … assuming the Brew

Crew take a few this weekend.

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7) No playoffs outright

The Rockies need two wins without help to get to the playoffs. So the only way this happens with the Cardinals in Chicago over the weekend is a sweep by the Redbirds and a sweep by the Nationals of the Rockies.

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Colorado Rockies: Doing what they have to do in a pennant chase

Lucas Coryell | Rox Pile | Sept. 27, 2018

The Colorado Rockies have played good baseball during the September playoff push, withstanding the disastrous

Dodgers series. Thanks to that, they have put themselves in strong playoff position as I previously wrote in this article.

After all, all they have to do is win ballgames.

The Colorado Rockies enter Thursday with a .5 game lead on the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West (and the Dodgers do not play until Friday). They would also have a strong hold on the Wild Card if it came to that as well.

In fact, the Colorado Rockies nearly have an 88 percent chance of making the playoffs (after it was 25% this time last week). The Colorado Rockies haven’t quite followed my scenario for an easy division win but they have put themselves in position to do so the hard way. Win and they’re in.

The lineup has balanced itself out and even survived an injury to Trevor Story. The pieces are seemingly coming together at the right time, but the season is far from over. Every game is now a potential playoff game of sorts and the rotation and lineup has got to continue to pick each other up. They have to find their stride when it matters most.

Kyle Freeland has been the ace the Rockies have coveted for a long time. German Marquez has been striking batters out at a historic rate for the Rockies and Jon Gray has been an up and down ride in his starts, but when he’s good he’s really good.

The other starters have shown the ability to keep the Rockies in ballgames throughout the season although they haven’t done so of late.

The lineup is talented and dynamic throughout. Buddy Black has the freedom to mix and match pieces depending on the matchup while maintaining a core touting Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story that ranks right up there with the best of them.

So if we find ourselves in another Rocktober then the talent level is such to just keep on winning.

With every win either regular season or playoff the Rockies get one step closer to the ultimate goal of Colorado’s first pennant.

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Rockies sweep Phillies to take a one-game lead in the NL West

Drew Creasman | BSN Denver | Sept. 27, 2018

DENVER – For the past couple of weeks, we’ve been hearing every day about how the Colorado Rockies are a “half- game” ahead or behind in the division or Wild Card race. For a minute there, they were 2.5 games back of the Los

Angeles Dodgers for the lead in the National League West with just ten games to play.

Then they threw out six consecutive victories and watched the Dodgers stumble to take another “half-game” lead in the division.

On Thursday, they played that “half” a game; the extra contest on the schedule that, if won, put them squarely in the divisional driver’s seat.

After winning the first three games of the set in blowout fashion, the finale was a nail-biter.

But the Rockies got just enough offense and were able to piece together just enough pitching to finish off a sweep of the

Phils with a 5-3 win and take a full game lead on the Dodgers in the National League West.

To start this important game, the Rockies turned to 23-year-old Antonio Senzatela who arguably pitched the best game of his career in his last outing against the Diamondbacks. He wasn’t nearly as dominant this time out but gave a workmanlike performance in 4.2 innings, giving up some traffic but working around it to allow just one run.

Colorado got on the board in the first when David Dahl wasted no time extending his streak out to four consecutive games with a solo home run deep over the wall in center field, landing 434 feet away from home plate.

An inning later, Trevor Story doubled the lead with a solo blast of his own to center, the projected distance for the

“Concourse Kid” was a whopping 471 feet.

They added another run when Carlos Gonzalez followed Story’s home run by ripping one into the opposite field gap for a double. In a moment where the visitors appeared to lose complete focus, Gonzalez was able to score on a passed ball and a wild pitch.

The Phillies got one back in the top of the third on a solo home run off the bat of Jose Bautista.

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Senzatela worked around a pair of doubles in the fourth but a one-out single from Rhys Hoskins in the fifth brought his pitch count to 95 and with a pair of runners aboard in a close game, Bud Black went to righty Scott Oberg. Oberg was able to get a swinging strikeout of Carlos Santana to escape the jam.

He stayed on for a clean sixth, striking out two more hitters before giving way to Seunghwan Oh in the seventh. It was a long inning for Oh who needed 21 pitches to work around a Justin Bour single and keep the score where it was.

The Rockies added to that score in the bottom of the seventh. Gerardo Parra came in for a pinch-hit appearance and launched yet another baseball over the wall in center for his sixth home run of the season.

Charlie Blackmon followed that up by pulling a double down the left-field line and he was able to jog home when Dahl tripled over the head of the first baseman to stay incredibly hot. That gave him 11 RBi in the four-game series.

Things got tense when Adam Ottavino came on in the eighth and was a bit wild, plunking Hoskins on the fourth pitch of the at-bat. He then left a slider over the middle of the plate that Santana was able to get underneath and drive the opposite way for his fourth home run of the season.

Wade Davis came on for the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to Cesar Hernandez. That once again brought the tying run to the plate in the form of J.P. Crawford who Davis fell behind 3-0 before coming back for the punchout.

He then struck out Roman Quinn and got Hoskins, absolutely a threat to tie it with one swing, to pop out to short, earning his 42nd save of the season; a new Rockies record.

Colorado improves to 89-70 and are a game up in the NL West.

FINAL STATS:

Antonio Senzatela: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Scott Oberg: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Seunghwan Oh: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Adam Ottavino: 1 IP, 1 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

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David Dahl: 2-for-4, 1 R, 2 RBI (HR: 14)

Trevor Story: 1-for-3, 1 R, 1 RBI (HR: 35)

Carlos Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 1 R

WHAT’S NEXT:

The Rockies will face off in a three-game set in the final regular-season series of 2018 against the Washington Nationals.

Kyle Freeland is set to face off against Joe Ross in Friday’s opener. First pitch at 6:10 Mountain Time.

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Trevor Story deserves the NL MVP

Justin Michael | Mile High Sports | Sept. 27, 2018

Trevor Story is having a historic season. Between his velocious home runs, consistent play in the field and ability to swipe a bag, Story has been a must-see player on a nightly basis.

The 25-year old has 82 extra-base hits and over the last two months, Story has hit everything with authority.

When considering his impact for the Rockies, Story should absolutely be the NL MVP, especially if Colorado wins the division.

If Story played in a city like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York, Story would be making national headlines on a regular basis and would run away with the award. But considering he plays 81 games a year at Coors Field, Story will likely have an asterisk next to his stats in the eyes of most national baseball writers.

The anti-Coors crowd robbed in 2000 when he led the league in hits (216), doubles (59), RBI (147), batting average (.347), on-base percentage (.463) and slugging (.698).

The same so-called baseball experts determined was more worthy of the NL MVP than Matt Holliday in

2007. Rollins did have a phenomenal year in 2007, recording 88 extra-base hits and 41 stolen bases for the Phillies. But that logic also means Story should be an obvious choice for MVP in 2018.

In less games than Rollins played when he won the award, Story has more doubles (42), home runs (34) and RBI (104).

Story’s on-base percentage (.345) is nearly identical to Rollins’ (.344) and their fielding numbers mirror each other as well.

The numbers do not lie. Story is producing at a rate that only a few in the history of the MLB have been able to match. And if the Rockies are able to win the division for the first time ever, that production must be rewarded.

Nobody has any issue with and Giancarlo Stanton blasting home runs over the little league fences in New

York. So, I do not want to hear any excuses trying to diminish Story’s numbers this season.

It has been a storybook year for Trevor and his individual play has been paramount to one of the best seasons in Rockies history. The Irving, native deserves some bling for his mantle, but whether his success is recognized on a national level or not, Rockies fans will long remember his play this year.

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Rockies complete sweep of Phillies, lead division by one game

Justin Michael | Mile High Sports | Sept. 27, 2018

The Colorado Rockies (89-70) completed a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies (78-81), with a 5-3 victory at

Coors Field Thursday afternoon. After starting the week trailing the Cardinals for a wild card spot, the Rockies now lead the NL West by one game and can control its own fate in the final series of the regular season.

In the four games against the Phillies, the Rockies exploded for 39 runs. Although Thursday’s game was not as high scoring as the first three were, Colorado did enough at the plate to win.

David Dahl hit his 14th home run of the season, had a triple and picked up another two RBI in the victory. And Trevor

Story launched yet another home run onto the left field concourse in the game as well. The 471-foot bomb was Story’s

83rd extra-base hit and 35th home run in 2018.

Scott Oberg (8-1) was the winning for Colorado Thursday after tossing an inning and one third of hitless baseball.

Antonio Senzatela would have been the pitcher on record if the starter would have been able to go a full five innings, but

Senza was pulled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth.

Along with Oberg, Seunghwan Oh and Adam Ottavino each had an inning of work, before Wade Davis closed things out in the ninth.

Following the sweep of the Phillies, the Rockies have an opportunity to secure the first division title in franchise history. If

Colorado sweeps Washington at home in the three-game series this weekend, the Rockies will be division champions, regardless of what happens in the Dodgers-Giants series.

Kyle Freeland (16-7) is slated to take the mound for the Rockies on Friday night. Freeland will be facing Joe Ross (0-1) of the Nationals. Ross has only made two other starts this season after missing 14 months due to Tommy John surgery.

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MVP hopeful Trevor Story joins elite company with milestone homer

Brandon Ewing | Mile High Sports | Sept. 27, 2018

It’s been a highly successful season for Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story, and it continued on Tuesday when he sent his 35th home run into the fountains in center field during the Rockies’ 5-3 victory over the Phillies; sweeping the series and giving the club a one-game lead in the NL West division with three left to play.

Story’s home run made him just the fourth shortstop in National League history to hit 35 homers in a single season, joining

Hall-of-Famer Ernie Banks (five times), , and Bill Hall.

That’s pretty good company for Story, who’s having arguably the best season by a Rockies shortstop in the franchise’s history.

Thursday’s home run also moved Story just one off the National League lead, trailing only St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Matt Carpenter. With just three games remaining, Story’s currently tied with Nolan Arenado for the team lead in

RBI (105) and trails Chicago Cubs Javier Baez by six for the National League lead.

With another big weekend from Story, not only can the Rockies’ first NL West crown come into focus, but his MVP chances will grow even larger. With 83 extra-base hits, Story trails just Houston’s Alex Bregman and Boston’s Mookie

Betts for the Major League lead; both candidates for the for AL MVP award.

Story’s case in the National League is equally strong.

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Colorado Rockies' late-season surge was in the plans all along

Chhun Sun | Colorado Springs Gazette | Sept. 27, 2018

DENVER • Rockies manager Bud Black predicted that his team would be here.

Colorado’s late-season surge hasn’t been a complete surprise to him — even when, not too long ago, it was well out of first place in the NL West. He still thought his team had a fighting chance.

“I knew as a group, when we fell back and got six games under .500, it was a long season,” said Black, who’s in his 11th year as a manager. “Because of my experience, I knew that’d we gradually get back into it, and it happened because of the guys, because of those guys. That’s why I felt that.”

The hot streak continued with a 5-3 win over the free-falling Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday afternoon. A crowd of

36,448 left delighted and relieved, knowing the Rockies are that much closer to claiming their first division title.

The Rockies (89-70) need another win Friday coupled with a loss by the St. Louis Cardinals to land a postseason berth for a second straight season for the first time in franchise history. Colorado is one game up on the L.A. Dodgers in the NL

West and two games up on the Cardinals for the second wild card spot.

“The win for myself did not matter at all,” said Rockies starting pitcher Antonio Senzatela, who pitched 42/3 innings, threw four strikeouts and allowed one run on five hits before Scott Oberg came in and earned the win. “I just wanted to give this team a chance to win this big game. I’m glad we were able to pull this team together and get the game for us.”

A week ago, the Dodgers were up 21/2 games in the NL West. But the Rockies’ seven-game winning streak — which matches a season best — gave them control of the division. They swept the Phillies in the four-game series, and now, they wrap up the regular season with a three-game series at home against Washington, starting Friday.

A week ago, the Rockies were looking at a wild card spot. Not anymore.

“Losing the series against the Giants and getting swept by the Dodgers was not what we expected, but we got together after that tough loss and said, ‘Hey, we’ve been through this before,’” the Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez said. “We know what we need to do, which is show up the next day and forget about what happened in the past.” 27

This winning streak has the league abuzz.

This week, the Dodgers (88-71) are fretting because they looked like sure bets. They were off Thursday, and will finish off their regular season with a three-game series at San Francisco.

And if any of the Dodgers caught Thursday’s game, they likely noticed a group of Rockies who aren’t in the mood to let their grip slip.

Three Rockies blasted solo home runs. David Dahl hit one in the first, making it his fourth consecutive game with a homer.

Trevor Story got his 35th homer in the second. Then, later in the seventh, Gerardo Parra recorded a pinch-hit home run to give the Rockies a 4-1 lead.

Then, Dahl struck again. He hit an RBI triple after Parra.

The Phillies (78-81), who wrapped up the franchise’s worst road trip with an 0-9 record, got back on the scoreboard in the eighth, thanks to Carlos Santana’s two-run homer to cut the Rockies’ lead to 5-3.

But again, the Rockies didn’t panic and held on to win.

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Dahl homers in 4th straight, Rockies open 1-game lead

Associated Press | ESPN.com | Sept. 27, 2018

DENVER -- After getting swept in Los Angeles, Colorado dropped 2 1/2 games behind the Dodgers and had an off day before three games in Arizona. The Rockies held a team meeting.

"You've got two options: You can sit at your locker and cry about it, or you can flush it out and show up the next day, continue to win games," outfielder Carlos Gonzalez recalled.

David Dahl homered for the fourth straight game, and the Rockies opened a one-game NL West lead with a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday that extended their winning streak to seven.

Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra also went deep for the Rockies (89-70), who matched their longest winning streak this season. Dahl hit a run-scoring triple and finished the four-game sweep with eight hits and 11 RBI.

Seeking its first division title, Colorado closes at home with three games against Washington and already is assured its winningest season since going 92-70 in 2009.

"We're on a roll right now and put ourselves back in the race," Gonzalez said.

The second-place Dodgers (88-71) also are one game ahead of St. Louis (87-72) for the second NL wild-card berth and finish with a three-game series at San Francisco. The West champion meets Atlanta in the Division Series, and the

Central champion plays the wild-card game winner.

Jose Bautista and Carlos Santana homered for the Phillies, outscored 39-7 in the series. Philadelphia (78-81), which struck out 14 times for the second day in a row, has lost a season-high eight straight and has gone 15-33 since moving a season-high 15 games over .500 on Aug. 5. The Phillies are assured their seventh straight season without a winning record, their most since 1994-2000.

"I do not think that our team has quit on the season or quit in general," manager Gabe Kapler said. "Today was pretty good evidence that we still have some fight in us. Had baserunners late. Looked like it was going to be a game that might get out of hand early. We never allowed it to get out of hand."

Scott Oberg (8-1) pitched 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief of Antonio Senzatela, who allowed one run and five hits in 4 2.3 innings. Oberg relieved with two on in the fifth and struck out Carlos Santana, then fanned two in a perfect sixth.

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Wade Davis gave up Carlos Hernandez's leadoff single in the ninth, struck out J.P. Crawford and Roman Quinn, then retired Rhys Hoskins on a popup for his NL-leading 42nd save in 48 chances.

Jake Arrieta (10-11) gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He had a 3.96 ERA, his highest since 2013, in his first season with the Phillies after agreeing to a $75 million, three-year contract on March 12, a month into .

"Everyone will talk about this season as a failure, but I don't look at it that way," Arrieta said. "It's unfortunate the way we've played the last couple of months. But if you view it as a failure, how does that bode well for us moving forward if we just look at it as we all failed? I think this was a success for us in a lot of areas and in some other areas not as much.

"Moving forward we know we don't want to continue to feel like this again. We know that we want to continue to play into

October and we didn't make that happen."

Dahl hit his 14th home run in the first and Story hit his 35th in a two-run second that also included a run-scoring wild pitch that followed Andrew Knapp's passed ball.

Bautista homered in the third, but the Rockies opened a 5-1 lead in the seventh when Parra homered as a pinch hitter and

Dahl tripled.

"I think the ball actually might have hit me in the chest if I took it," Dahl said of the pitch from reliever Tommy Hunter.

"Fortunate enough to find some barrel and get the runner in."

Dahl tied teammate Nolan Arenado with home runs in four consecutive games. Arenado also did it from June 19-22.

Santana hit a two-run homer in the eighth off Adam Ottavino, who walked Dylan Cozens and struck out his next three batters.

RECORD SAVE

Davis set a franchise record for saves in a season, surpassing Greg Holland(2017) and Jose Jimenez (2002).

TRAINER'S ROOM

Rockies: LHP Tyler Anderson is to throw a bullpen session Friday to determine whether he will be available Sunday as the starter or to come in as a reliever. Anderson had his last start scratched due to shoulder tightness.

UP NEXT

Phillies: RHP Jerad Eickhoff (0-0, 9.00) is slated to open a three-game series against Atlanta on Friday night.

Rockies: LHP Kyle Freeland (16-7, 2.84) starts the series against the Nationals. 30

It all comes down to this: Previewing MLB's final weekend

David Schoenfield | ESPN.com | Sept. 28, 2018

Three games left and we still have two divisions at stake, one wild card in the National League, plus the entire seeding in the NL.

The American League is easy. The only thing to decide is home-field advantage for the wild-card game. The New York

Yankees are one win or one ' loss from clinching that. The wild-card game winner will travel to Boston while the will play the Cleveland Indians in the division series matchups.

So let's preview the final three days, focusing on the National League and all the matchups. Here's how everything stands heading into Friday:

Chicago Cubs 93 66 --

Milwaukee Brewers 92 67 1 GB

Atlanta Braves 89 70 4 GB

Colorado Rockies 89 70 4 GB

Los Angeles Dodgers 88 71 5 GB

St. Louis Cardinals 87 72 6 GB

Here's what we know:

-- The Chicago Cubs and have clinched playoff spots and the winner of the NL Central will be the No.

1 seed.

-- The Atlanta Braves have clinched the NL East and can win the No. 2 seed. They lost both season series to the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers, so they have to finish with the better record than either team to secure the second seed.

-- If the Cubs and Brewers tie for the NL Central title, there would be a tiebreaker game Monday at Wrigley Field (the

Cubs won the season series 11-8).

-- If the Rockies and Dodgers tie for the NL West title, there would be a tiebreaker game Monday at Dodger Stadium (the

Dodgers won the season series 12-7).

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-- The Rockies, Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals all could end up with 89 or 90 wins, tying for a division title plus the second wild card. If that happens, the Rockies and Dodgers would play for the NL West title on Monday, with the loser playing at St. Louis on Tuesday to get into the wild-card game against the Brewers or Cubs (which would be pushed back to Wednesday).

Got all that? That's not too confusing. A few days ago, a five-way tie for two division titles and a wild card seemed possible.

Friday

Cardinals at Cubs, Adam Wainwright vs. Kyle Hendricks (2:20 p.m. ET, ESPN)

The Cardinals are reeling after the Brewers just swept them in St. Louis, an awful series in which the Cardinals hit poorly, pitched poorly, fielded poorly and ran the bases poorly. Now they turn to 37-year-old Wainwright, who will be making his fourth start after missing more than three months. One of those was a good one with six scoreless innings against the

Dodgers. Hendricks has been the Cubs' best starter of late, with a 2.68 ERA over his past 15 starts. He has allowed one run in three of his five September starts. MVP candidate Javier Baez has hit .345 with five home runs against the

Cardinals.

Final-Week Games on ESPN & ESPN+

Friday

2:20 p.m. ET on ESPN: St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs

7 p.m. ET on ESPN: New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox

8 p.m. ET on ESPN+: Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals

Saturday

4 p.m. ET on ESPN+: Pittsburgh Pirates at Cincinnati Reds

Tigers at Brewers, Jordan Zimmermann vs. (8:10 p.m. ET)

The Brewers get a break, playing one of those bad AL teams. The Detroit Tigers also have been terrible on the road (26-

52). The Brewers have been great in September, going 16-7 and outscoring their opponents 121-67. The bullpen, after a little burp in August, has been terrific with a 1.98 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 100 innings (plus a 10-1 record). Likely 32

MVP has hit .359/.435/.743 in the second half. The Cardinals simply walked him five times on

Wednesday rather than give him a chance to hit.

Nationals at Rockies, Joe Ross vs. Kyle Freeland (8:10 p.m. ET)

With shades of the Rocktober run of 2007, the Rockies have won seven in a row to leap over the Dodgers. The Rockies are going for their first division title in franchise history as well as seeking the first back-to-back playoff trips in franchise history. The Washington Nationals, however, are unlikely to roll over like the Phillies just did. Freeland, the local kid from

Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, has a 2.84 ERA -- and even more remarkable 2.36 ERA at Coors Field.

Dodgers at Giants, Hyun-Jin Ryu vs. Madison Bumgarner (10:15 p.m. ET)

It has been a miserable second half for the , but you know they'd love to spoil the Dodgers' season and knock them out of the playoffs (or at least the division title). Ryu came off the DL in August and has been a strike- throwing machine with 50 strikeouts and three walks in 46⅔ innings. He has thrown 13 scoreless innings his past two outings. Bumgarner will probably want to throw a complete game in this one, then come back on Sunday in relief. The

Dodgers are going for their sixth straight division title. The only teams with more are the 1991-2005 Braves (14, not counting the 1994 strike season) and the 1998-2006 Yankees (nine).

Saturday

Cardinals at Cubs, Miles Mikolas vs. Cole Hamels (1:05 p.m. ET, FOX)

Mikolas proved to be one of the best pickups of the offseason as he has gone 17-4 with a 2.94 ERA. He does it by changing speeds and painting the corners -- he has one of the highest chase rates in the majors on pitches outside the zone. Hamels didn't allow a home run his first seven starts with the Cubs, but has allowed six over his past four outings.

Keep an eye on , who didn't play Wednesday or Thursday after getting hit by a pitch on his wrist on Tuesday and has just one home run in 73 at-bats since returning from the DL on Sept. 1 because of a sore shoulder.

By using Clayton Kershaw on Saturday, the Dodgers are all-in on going for the NL West since their ace wouldn't be able to start a do-or-die game.

Dodgers at Giants, Clayton Kershaw vs. Dereck Rodriguez (4:05 p.m. ET)

Well, hello, Mr. Kershaw. The Dodgers obviously set up their rotation in anticipation of winning the division title. With

Kershaw going Saturday, that means he wouldn't pitch in a potential tiebreaker game on Monday or a potential wild-card game on Tuesday. In fact, the Dodgers have their top three starters going their final three games, which leaves Rich

Hill for the tiebreaker or wild-card game. (If Hill is needed on Monday ... Ross Stripling for the wild-card game?) 33

Tigers at Brewers, Daniel Norris vs. Wade Miley (7:10 p.m. ET, FS1)

Miley had a 5.37 ERA in 2016 and 5.61 in 2017. But you know the drill -- you can't predict baseball! So he has a 2.32 ERA in 15 starts with the Brewers. He has somehow avoided the long ball, giving up only three home runs in 77⅔ innings. The

Brewers just need this little miracle to continue for one more regular-season start -- oh and then maybe four or five more in the playoffs.

Nationals at Rockies, Stephen Strasburg vs. Jon Gray (8:10 p.m. ET)

An intriguing matchup between two of 2018's most frustrating pitchers. Strasburg once again missed some time with injuries, making just three starts in June and July -- not coincidentally, the Nationals went 20-30 those two months. Gray had some big strikeout numbers early on, but struggled with runners on base and a bloated ERA eventually led to a short stint back in the minors, an interesting move for a pitcher of Gray's caliber. He was better after his return, but in three of his five September starts he hasn't made it past four innings.

Sunday

Dodgers at Giants, Walker Buehler vs. Andrew Suarez (3:05 p.m. ET)

Buehler has actually flown under the radar a little with all attention rightfully going to fellow rookies Ronald Acuna Jr. and , but he has had a terrific first season with a 2.76 ERA and 2.98 FIP. The Dodgers limited his innings in the first half, but he's been all-out the past two months and has allowed two runs or fewer in 10 his past 11 starts (1.70 ERA,

84 K's in 68⅔ innings).

Tigers at Brewers, Spencer Turnbull vs. undecided (3:10 p.m. ET)

The Brewers could go with Gio Gonzalez here on four days' rest, but they may be waiting to see where they're at in the division. The Cubs could have it clinched by this point, in which case they'd be unlikely to use Gonzalez (although Jhoulys

Chacin would be lined up for the wild-card game). They also could be waiting to hold Gonzalez back for the potential division tiebreaker game on Monday. Craig Counsell has a tough call here if the Brewers are down a game entering

Sunday. Do you go all-out hoping for a tie, even if it means burning through Josh Hader and the rest of the bullpen?

Nationals at Rockies, vs. undecided (3:10 p.m. ET)

The Rockies catch another break as this would have been Max Scherzer's start, but after reaching 300 strikeouts earlier this week -- and then seeing Jacob deGrom basically lock up the Cy Young Award -- it looks like Scherzer won't pitch. The

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Rockies can go with a combination of Antonio Senzatela or Chad Bettis plus a bunch of relievers. German Marquez would be on full rest to start on Monday or Tuesday, with Kyle Freeland lined up to start Game 1 of the division series.

Cardinals at Cubs, Jack Flaherty vs. Mike Montgomery (3:20 p.m. ET)

This would be a lot of fun if both teams are still fighting for something. Flaherty also has had a terrific rookie season, with a 3.16 ERA, 179 strikeouts in 148⅓ innings and a .196 average allowed. He already has earned that bulldog reputation, has a wipeout slider and curveball, a changeup he's starting to mix in more and a four-seamer that batters have hit .197 against. As for Joe Maddon, if the Cubs have to win on Sunday, he may churn through his entire pitching staff trying to match up with the Cardinals. If a Monday game is needed, Jose Quintana would be in line for the start (with Jon

Lester ready for the wild-card game).

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