Sept. 27 at Los Angeles: Rockies 10, Dodgers 4

This time, it’s Garrett Atkins leading the way with four hits and one of three home runs for the Rockies. Colorado is two games behind Arizona, one behind San Diego and heading home to Coors Field to end the regular season after the best road trip in franchise history. Next up, the Diamondbacks.

Sept. 28 at Denver: Diamondbacks 4, Rockies 2

Rockies lose! Rockies lose! Brandon Webb beats Jeff Francis, and the Diamondbacks clinch a playoff berth when the moribund Mets lose yet again to the Marlins. With their first loss in nearly two weeks, the Rockies fall out of contention for the NL West title and two games behind San Diego with two remaining. “We had a chance to do something special here,” Francis said. “We still do. We just have to catch a couple breaks.”

Sept. 29 at Denver: Rockies 11, Diamondbacks 1

It’s almost over before the Rockies take the field, as the Padres are one strike from clinching a playoff spot when Milwaukee’s Tony Gwynn Jr. hits a tying triple in the ninth off closer Trevor Hoffman. The Brewers beat the Padres in 11 innings. Then the Rockies roll, scoring 11 runs in the first five innings. Troy Tulowitzki hits a grand slam in the fifth to help keep Colorado alive with one game remaining.

Sept. 30 at Denver: Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 3

The Rockies get some help from the Brewers and make it count when batting champion Matt Holliday sparks a three-run rally in the eighth with a single and Manny Corpas withstands a two-run ninth. The win sets up a one-game tiebreaker for the wild card with San Diego at Coors Field. Momentum is nice, Holliday says, but it won’t matter come Monday. “I don’t think anything will help us tomorrow other than going out and getting hits off Jake Peavy,” he says.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures Pain on the skating rink, flying high on the hardwood, upsets on the football field, and more. more photos

Oct. 1 at Denver: Rockies 9, Padres 8, 13 innings

’Rock-tober’ begins with a thrilling bang, when the Rockies win one of the wildest games in recent memory. After Scott Hairston hits a two-run homer in the top of the 13th for San Diego, Kaz Matsui and Troy Tulowitzki hit consecutive doubles off Trevor Hoffman, followed by a tying triple off the wall by Matt Holliday, who then scores the game-winner on a shallow sacrifice fly to right by Jamey Carroll. Did Holliday actually touch home plate? It might never be clear, but the Rockies are going to the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Oct. 3 at Philadelphia: Rockies 4, Phillies 2

No one is much talking about the Rockies after their win in Game 1 of the division series. Most of the talk is about Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley and Ryan Howard going a combined 0-for-11 with eight strikeouts. Matt Holliday homers and Jeff Francis strikes out eight batters in six innings. “Who would’ve thought a good old-fashioned National League game would break out in this ballpark?” manager Clint Hurdle says.

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