On the Brink

By Eric Redner
The Phanatic Magazine

Kaz Matsui hit a grand slam and drove in five runs as the Colorado Rockies downed the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-5, in Game 2 of their National League Division Series at Citizens Bank Park.

Matsui finished the game a single short of the cycle as he was 3-for-5 with a double, triple, grand slam and two runs scored for the Rockies, who hold a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series and head back home for Games 3 and 4.

Matt Holliday went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and two RBI while Yorvit Torrealba scored twice and drove in a pair of runs.

Franklin Morales made his first postseason start but lasted just three innings as he gave up three runs on three hits with a pair of walks. Josh Fogg (1-0) got the win for pitching two scoreless innings of relief.

The Rockies posted their eighth straight road victory and have now won 16 of 17 overall.

Jimmy Rollins provided most of the offense for Philadelphia as he went 2-for-5 with a triple, solo home run and four RBI while Ryan Howard also hit a solo homer in the loss.

Kyle Kendrick (0-1) also made his first postseason start and was roughed up for five runs on five hits in just 3 2/3 innings of work to pick up the loss.

Game 3 is set to take place at 9:37 p.m. (et) in Colorado on Saturday with Ubaldo Jimenez taking the mound for the Rockies and Jamie Moyer toeing the rubber for Philadelphia.

Colorado wasted no time in grabbing the lead as Troy Tulowitzki hit the first pitch he saw just over the left-center fence and Holliday followed with a first-pitch shot into the left-field stands for a 2-0 lead.

Rollins got the Phillies on the board in the bottom of the first as he led off the inning by depositing the first pitch into the left field seats.

Philadelphia took a 3-2 lead in the second. Wes Helms worked a one-out walk and Carlos Ruiz followed with a double just out of the reach of Ryan Spilborghs in center field. After Kendrick grounded out, Rollins punched a triple to the gap in left to bring home Helms and Ruiz. Chase Utley flied out to center to end the inning.

The Rockies threatened in the third as Matsui led off with a double to center, but he was stranded there as Kendrick struck out Tulowitzki, got Holliday to ground out and Todd Helton to fly out.

Colorado, though, took the lead in the fourth. Garrett Atkins led off with a double, but Kendrick got the next two batters out. Torrealba worked a walk and pinch-hitter Seth Smith beat out an infield single to load the bases.

Kyle Lohse then took the mound in relief of Kendrick, but Matsui greeted him by smacking a 1-2 pitch into the right field seats for a grand slam and a 6-3 lead.

The Rockies tacked on four more runs to their lead in the sixth. Jose Mesa started on the mound and gave up consecutive walks to Brad Hawpe and Spilborghs. Torrealba followed with a double to right to bring home both runners. Mesa then got Fogg to ground out, but was replaced on the mound by Clay Condrey.

Matsui greeted Condrey with a triple to the gap in right to plate Torrealba and, after Tulowitzki struck out, Holliday punched a single to center to score Matsui for a 10-3 lead.

The Phillies chipped away at the lead as Howard's solo home run in the sixth and Rollins' RBI groundout in the seventh made it a 10-5 game.

Philadelphia loaded the bases in the eighth, but it was with two outs and Manny Corpas took the mound and got Carlos Ruiz to ground out and end the inning.

The Phillies tried to mount a two-out rally in the ninth as Utley and Pat Burrell hit back-to-back singles, but Corpas got Howard to look at strike three to end the game and pick up his second save of the series.