Rockies seek first West title, but D-backs, L.A. threaten

Opposing managers Dave Roberts and Bud Black are close friends. Star infielders Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt talk all the time.

Just maybe not so much right now.

This NL West title chase is serious business and shaping up to go down to the wire. Colorado is holding off Los Angeles and Arizona for top spot. The Rockies are aiming for their first division title. “I expected us to be in this position,” Arenado said. “I thought we had the type of players who could do something like this.” Typically, Dodgers left-hander Rich Hill doesn’t start looking at the standings until mid-September. He made an exception after his win over the Rockies on Sunday, just to see where things stood. It’s scoreboard-watching season. “We have a beautiful scoreboard out there,” Rockies manager Black cracked. “I think our guys are in a pretty good spot.”

The Dodgers have 10 NL West titles since Colorado entered the league in 1993. The Diamondbacks have five since 1998. The Rockies finished just behind Arizona in 2007, when they beat San Diego in a tiebreaker game for a wild-card spot and advanced to their only World Series appearance. Following a 7-3 homestand, Colorado has begun a nine-game trip that includes three games in Los Angeles and three in Arizona. The Rockies finish up with seven in a row at home against Philadelphia (four) and Washington (three). L.A. started a four-game set in St. Louis Thursday with a win. After St. Louis, the Dodgers play only division opponents the rest of the way.

The Diamondbacks have the toughest stretch. They still play a series in Houston against the reigning World Series champions and host a Chicago Cubs team trying to win the NL Central.