Rockies open one-game lead in NL West
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. Colorado hasn’t lost since. 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 fourgame sweep with eight hits and 11 RBIs.
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.
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 seasonhigh 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.
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, threeyear contract on March 12, a month into spring training.