Phillies 5, Rockies 4: Victory remains just out of reach

For the 17th time in their last 20 regular season games at Citizens Bank Park, the Rockies fell to the Phillies, this time by a score of 5-4

After three scoreless frames to open the night, Philadelphia drew first blood in the fourth with an RBI ground out from Cody Asche after the Phillies loaded the bases on two singles and a walk off Rockies' starter Jeff Manship.  However, the big blow of the inning came from the following batter when John Mayberry hit his ninth home run of the season, a three run shot that extended the lead to 4-0.

Carlos Ruiz added another run the following inning, and after five frames, it looked the Phillies were on their way to an easy victory.

But the Rockies were not going let the 71% of Rowbots who revealed in today's Rockpile that they want a higher draft pick next season off the hook that easily.

Troy Tulowitzki started a rally in the top of the seventh as he launched a towering blast to left to lead off the inning and get the Rockies on the board. This was Tulo's second hit of the night and another sign that he's breaking out the slump he's been in since coming back from the disabled list.  Tonight marked the fourth multi-hit game in his last five starts.

Michael Cuddyer followed Tulo's moonshot with a walk, and the Rockies got their second run two batters later when Todd Helton hit the 583rd double of his career.  It could have been an even bigger inning however as both DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon came to the plate with runners on first and second and failed to capitalize.

In the eighth, the Rockies added two more runs after Dexter Fowler, Corey Dickerson, and Tulo loaded the bases with nobody out.  Michael Cuddyer had the first opportunity to cash in but he chased a pitch well out of the strike zone and went back to the bench with the first out.  Wilin Rosario came up next and showed an approach many fans have been looking for all season as he lined a 1-1 pitch back up the middle for a base hit that scored a pair and brought the Rockies within one.

That's where the rally stopped as the Phillies brought in gas throwing lefty Jake Diekman.  First he sent Helton down with a K on three pitches and than after a balk that moved the potential winning run into scoring position he  overpowered Nolan Arenado.  The exclamation point came on a 2-2 pitch where he got the 22 year old to fan on a 99 MPH "see if you can catch up to me" fastball that retired the side.

Colorado would have one final opportunity in the ninth against the much hated Jonathan Papelbon who in a Phillies uniform represents multiple layers of bad postseason memories for Rockies fans.  DJ LeMahieu led off the inning with a knock, but he was quickly picked off trying to get a jump stealing second.  Once that happened, the inning deflated as fast a Thanksgiving Day parade float with a hole in it.  Charlie Culberson grounded out to third for the second out and Dexter Fowler was caught looking to end the game on a borderline call that he was not thrilled about.

Game over.

With the loss, the team drops back to ten games under .500 and within 3.5 games of the #4 draft pick.

Graph:

Source: FanGraphs

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Total Comments: 749

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Record: 58-68

Games Behind: 15.0

Games Left: 36

Record needed to beat Keith Law's prediction: -4-40 (LOL Keith Law)

Record needed to beat 2012: 7-29

Record needed to beat the Vegas Over / Under Number: 14-22

Record needed to finish above .500: 24-12

Number of Home Runs needed for Cargo, Tulo, and Rosario to combine for 100: 36

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This series continues tomorrow at 5:05 pm MT as Jorge De La Rosa (12-6, 3.22) takes the mound against Tyler Cloyd (2-2, 3.41)