2007 National League Championship Series
Encyclopedia
Game 1
Thursday, October 11, 2007 at Chase FieldChase Field
Chase Field is a baseball stadium located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. It opened in , just in time for the Diamondbacks' first game as an expansion team...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
The Rockies took a 1–0 series lead behind a strong innings from starter Jeff Francis
Jeff Francis
Jeffrey William Francis is a Canadian professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent.-Early life:...
. Arizona scored first on a first-inning RBI double by Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
, but lost the lead two innings later when Colorado right fielder Brad Hawpe
Brad Hawpe
Bradley Bonte Hawpe is an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman.-High school and college:...
hit a two-run single. The Diamondbacks were taken out of a potential rally in the seventh inning when a disputed interference call resulted in a double-play groundout. Chase Field patrons responded by throwing objects onto the playing field, briefly stopping play.
Game 2
Friday, October 12, 2007 at Chase FieldChase Field
Chase Field is a baseball stadium located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona and is the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball. It opened in , just in time for the Diamondbacks' first game as an expansion team...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
A well fought game that lasted late into the night for those on the East coast was won on a bases-loaded walk given up by Arizona closer José Valverde
José Valverde
José Rafael Valverde is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. His nickname is Papa Grande...
to Colorado leadoff man Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras
Willy Taveras is a Major League Baseball center fielder.-Houston Astros:Taveras played in 10 games at the end of the Astros season, mostly as a pinch runner....
, who, earlier, had saved the game with a great diving catch in center field.
Game 3
Sunday, October 14, 2007 at Coors FieldCoors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
The Rockies moved to within one win of the World Series for the first time in the history of their franchise by winning Game 3 by a score of 4–1. Matt Holliday
Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.Holliday is a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger...
gave the Rockies a 1–0 lead in the first with a two-out solo shot off Arizona starter Liván Hernández
Liván Hernández
Eisler Liván Hernández Carrera is a Cuban professional baseball pitcher. He is the half-brother of pitcher Orlando "El Duque" Hernández.-Playing career:...
. But Mark Reynolds
Mark Reynolds (baseball)
Mark Andrew Reynolds is a third baseman/first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Baltimore Orioles. He is known both for his power-hitting abilities and for his record-breaking strike out totals...
tied the game in the fourth with a tape measure shot to left. The decisive blow was delivered in the bottom of the sixth when Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Torrealba
Yorvit Adolfo Torrealba is a Major League Baseball catcher for the Texas Rangers. He previously played for the San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and San Diego Padres. He bats and throws right-handed.-San Francisco Giants:...
battled in an eight-pitch at-bat to drive a three-run homer to left field that sent Coors Field
Coors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
into a frenzy. Memorably, Torrealba pumped his fist in the air while rounding second base. The Rockies now held a 3–0 lead in the series.
Game 4
Monday, October 15, 2007 at Coors FieldCoors Field
Coors Field, located in Denver, Colorado, is the home field of Major League Baseball's Colorado Rockies. It is named for the Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colorado, which purchased the naming rights to the park prior to its completion in 1995...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
The Rockies won their first pennant in franchise history with a 6–4 win in Game 4, completing a sweep of the number one seed Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks took an early lead but the Rockies struck back with a six-run fourth inning. Seth Smith
Seth Smith
Garry Seth Smith is a Major League Baseball corner outfielder for the Colorado Rockies.-Amateur career:...
's go-ahead two-run bloop double down the left-field line proved to be the decisive blow. But it was NLCS MVP Matt Holliday
Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday , nicknamed "Big Daddy", is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.Holliday is a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger...
's three-run homer to deep center that, later, would prove to be the game winner. Chris Snyder
Chris Snyder
Christopher Cornelius Snyder is a catcher in Major League Baseball who is a Free Agent. He has played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks. He bats and throws right-handed.-High school and college:...
made it a ballgame in the eighth with a two-out, three-run homer to left that stayed just fair. Manny Corpas then came on to end the threat with the tying run at the plate. The D'Backs would also threaten in the ninth but Corpas got Eric Byrnes
Eric Byrnes
Eric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
, the center of controversy before Game 3, to hit a check-swing roller to Troy Tulowitzki
Troy Tulowitzki
Troy Trevor Tulowitzki , nicknamed Tulo, is a Major League Baseball shortstop for the Colorado Rockies.Tulowitzki's arm, range and instincts at shortstop are highly regarded...
, who fired to Todd Helton
Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner....
at first to retire the diving Byrnes and send Colorado to the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
against the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. No team had ever swept their way to the World Series since the Division Series began in 1995. Colorado was also the first team to have a 7–0 start to a postseason since the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
finished the playoffs 7–0 sweeping both the LCS
1976 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 9, 1976 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaReds starter Don Gullett held the Phils to two hits in eight strong innings and helped his own cause with an RBI single in the sixth and a two-run double in the eighth...
and World Series
1976 World Series
The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
.
Composite box
2007 NLCS (4–0): Colorado RockiesColorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
over Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...