Rockies rally in 13th to earn 2nd postseason berth

Padres ace closer Trevor Hoffman couldn’t preserve a two-run lead.

DENVER (AP) — The Blake Street Bombers gave way to Colorado’s Comeback Kids.

The NL wild card came down to a wild, 13-inning finish Monday night that put Matt Holliday and the Colorado Rockies into the playoffs and sent Trevor Hoffman and the San Diego Padres home weary and dazed.

Holliday raced home on Jamey Carroll’s shallow fly ball, capping a three-run rally against the all-time saves leader and giving the Rockies a 9-8 win in baseball’s longest one-game tiebreaker.

Colorado trailed 8-6 when Kaz Matsui and Rookie of the Year favorite Troy Tulowitzki, who had four hits, lined back-to-back doubles off Hoffman. Then Holliday tripled off the wall in right to tie it.

After Todd Helton was intentionally walked, Carroll hit a low line drive to right fielder Brian Giles and Holliday took off before third base coach Mike Gallego could send him.

Giles’ throw home bounced in front of catcher Michael Barrett, who couldn’t hold on as Holliday swiped the plate, then lay face-down after cutting his chin with his headfirst slide. Umpire Tim McClelland made a delayed safe call, and replays were inconclusive on whether Holliday touched the plate with his left hand or was blocked by Barrett’s left foot.

ROCKIES 9, PADRES 8

13 innings

SAN DIEGOCOLORADO

abrhbiabrhbi

BGiles rf5211KMtsui 2b6221

Hrston lf7222Tlowzki ss7341

Kzmnff 3b5010Hlliday lf6122

Thtcher p0000Helton 1b4112

Headly ph1010Atkins 3b3021

Hffman p0000Carroll 3b2011

AdGnlz 1b6134Hawpe rf3000

KGreen ss7110Spbrgh cf4000

Bard c4020Fentes p0000

HBell p0000Corpas p0000

Robles ph1000Kshnky ph1000

Brocail p0000Herges p0000

Ensbrg 3b1000Baker ph1000

Blum 2b4110Julio p0000

BClark cf4011ROrtiz p0000

Sledge ph0000Trralba c6111

MCmrn cf0000Fogg p2000

Myrow ph1000Bchholz p0000

Lane cf0000Affeldt p0000

Peavy p3110Speier p0000

Barrett c3010Smith ph1110

Hwkins p0000

Sllivan cf2000

Totals528158Totals489149

San Diego0050000100002—8

Colorado2110110000003—9

One out when winning run scored.

E—Carroll (4). DP—Colorado 1. LOB—San Diego 13, Colorado 13. 2B—BGiles (27), AdGonzalez (46), Bard (27), KMatsui 2 (24), Tulowitzki 2 (33), Atkins (35). 3B—Tulowitzki (5), Holliday (6), Smith (1). HR—Hairston (11), AdGonzalez (30), Helton (17), Torrealba (8). S—Kouzmanoff, Blum. SF—KMatsui, Helton, Carroll.

IPHRERBBSO

San Diego

Peavy6 1-3106646

HBell2 2-300025

Brocail1 2-310011

Thatcher1 1-300003

Hoffman L,4-5 1-333310

Colorado

Fogg485525

Buchholz1 1-310001

Affeldt1-300000

Speier1-300001

Hawkins110001

Fuentes121101

Corpas100000

Herges310031

Julio022210

ROrtiz W,1-0100001

Fogg pitched to 1 batter in the 5th, Julio pitched to 3 batters in the 13th. WP—Affeldt, Fuentes. Umpires—Home, Tim McClelland; First, Ed Montague; Second, Tim Tschida; Third, Chuck Meriwether; Left, Fieldin Culbreth; Right, Jim Wolf. T—4:40. A—48,404.