Three keys
Key moments in the Rockies' 4-3 victory against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field on Sunday afternoon:
1 Right fielder Brad Hawpe, whose struggles against left-handed pitchers led to his frequently being on the bench in games started by left-handers, delivered an RBI double off lefty Doug Slaten for a 1-0 lead in the sixth and a two-run double off lefty Bill Murphy in the eighth for a 4-2 lead.
2 Left-handed reliever Brian Fuentes came on with two on base after Jorge Julio gave up a game-tying single in the seventh to Carlos Quentin, the only batter he faced. Fuentes struck out pinch hitters Conor Jackson and Jeff Cirillo to keep the score 1-1.
3 Closer Manny Corpas struggled, giving up two runs in the ninth, but with the tying run on first, Corpas fielded a nubber by Stephen Drew and made a strong throw to first for the final out, allowing the Rockies to advance to today's tiebreaker.
Etc.
Center fielder Willy Taveras, who has missed 20 games after reaggravating a strained right quadriceps, worked out for team officials Saturday and will run the bases today. Taveras said he feels that by the start of the NL Division Series on Wednesday he would be healthy enough "to play (in the lineup) or be on the roster in case there is anything I can do to help." . . . The Rockies won 20 games in September, a club record for the month. Only six other teams have won 20 games in September in the past 15 years, and five of those made it to the postseason - the Yankees (21) in 1995, Oakland (21) in 2000, St. Louis (21) in 2002, San Francisco (20) in 2000 and Houston (20) in 2004. Baltimore was the one team that came up short when it won 20 in September 1999. . . . The Rockies' win Sunday gave them a 10-8 record against Arizona and for the first time in franchise history allowed them to win the season series against the four other NL West members. . . . Corpas allowed two runs but earned his 19th save in 20 opportunities. The two runs were the first he had allowed since he became a closer that did not come on a home run.
Scouting report: San Diego Padres
Series history: The Rockies lead 117-113, winning 10-of-18 this year. They have a 61-52 edge in Denver, 55-48 at Coors Field, winning five of nine this year. The Rockies swept a three-game series in San Diego on Sept. 21-24 and won two of three from the Padres at Coors Field on Sept. 7-9.
Roster report: Teams will have full 40-man rosters available today. . . . The Padres lost left fielder Milton Bradley (torn anterior cruciate ligament) and center fielder Mike Cameron (torn thumb ligament) in a 7-3 loss to the Rockies at Petco Park on Sept. 23. Bradley stepped on Cameron's hand when he was attempting to make a catch in the seventh inning, and the next inning Bradley was injured when manager Bud Black attempted to restrain him from going after umpire Mike Winters. . . . The Padres acquired outfielder Jason Lane from Houston a week ago and also called up third baseman Chase Headley and outfielder Drew Macias.
Quickly: The Padres have lost six of their past 10 games. . . . They are 42-39 on the road, the second year in a row and ninth all-time they have had a winning road record. . . . The 89 wins are their most since they were 98-64 in 1998. . . . Catcher Josh Bard, a graduate of Cherry Creek High School, has started 102 games behind the plate, and the Padres have won 62. . . . Third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, a graduate of Evergreen High, was hitting .108 on May 9 but is hitting .356 since. His 18 home runs equal a Padres rookie record e that was set by Benito Santiago. . . . Right-hander Doug Brocail, a graduate of Lamar High, had pitched 14 2/3 scoreless innings in 14 appearances before giving up three runs, one earned, at Milwaukee on Thursday.
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