Matt Holliday atoned for his misplay of a Brian Giles eighth inning double which forced extras by delivering a clutch opposite field RBI triple off San Diego closer Trevor Hoffman and then scored the winning run on Jamey Carroll’s RBI sac fly getting his left hand in just ahead of Michael Barrett’s tag to help Colorado complete a come from behind 9-8 win over the Padres in the tiebreaking game which gave the Rockies the NL wildcard.

In a topsy turvy season filled with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster which included the Rockies’ next opponent’s dramatic comeback from seven down with 17 left, the final game of the 2007 regular season lived up to that billing making this one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.
The play-in game was necessary due to Colorado sweeping a three-game series at San Diego the previous weekend which helped them get into this position. They also got plenty of help from the Brewers who after being eliminated by the Padres still played with enough pride to take the final two games from them, which allowed the Rockies to gain the two games they needed to force a tie and host last night’s one-game playoff.

Just how close were the Padres to securing their third consecutive postseason berth. They were one out away a couple of days prior when out of all twisted ironies, Tony Gwynn, Jr. did them in with a tying RBI triple for Hoffman’s sixth blown save.

The Brewers pulled the game out in extras and then rallied from an early four-run deficit against Brett Tomko to win 11-6, giving the Padres’ division rivals new life.

But with fairly certain NL Cy Young winner Jake Peavy going Monday against Josh Fogg, the Padres still had to feel good about their chances. Even with the odds against them, Colorado got to the San Diego ace enough to score six runs and build a one-run lead in the home sixth for their bullpen to hold.

However, just four outs away Holliday’s misplay on a two out Giles double off setup man Brian Fuentes allowed Geoff Blum to score the tying run.

The game would go to extras because both pens kept the opposition off the board. San Diego got splendid relief pitching from ex-Met Heath Bell who tossed two and two thirds scoreless while fanning five to keep the Rockies from winning the game.

Doug Brocail and Joe Thatcher were equally as effective in the first three extra innings striking out a combined four including Holliday a couple of times.

The Padres also threatened to go ahead a couple of times off Colorado’s Matt Herges but the ex-Giant closer didn’t break getting out of jams to work three scoreless.

But when ex-Met Jorge Julio came on as the Rockies’ 10th pitcher of the night, it looked like their luck had run out. The much maligned reliever who can implode at any moment didn’t retire a batter, walking Brian Giles on five pitches and then giving up a go-ahead two-run home run to Scott Hairston which gave the Padres an 8-6 lead.

They don’t call him Armando Benitez Lite for nothing.

After Julio permitted another hit, Colorado manager Clint Hurdle had finally seen enough wisely opting for Ramon Ortiz, who pitched to contact retiring the next three batters to keep the game within reach for his explosive top of the order.

His team had been resilient all second half and swung the bats very well in late innings just to reach this point. A Brad Hawpe solo homer was the difference in a 2-1 extra inning win at San Diego two Fridays ago (Sept. 21) which started a sweep.

This was nothing new for a team which played such great baseball down the stretch. Even the all-time saves leader didn’t faze them as they immediately went to work by teeing off on Hoffman.

Former Met Kaz Matsui got the rally started by battling Hoffman and then leading off with a double to right center. Then emerging NL Rookie of The Year candidate Troy Tulowitzki drove the second baseman home with a double to deep center which sliced the deficit to one.

Up until that point, Holliday looked like he would be the goat. However, all year he’d delivered for his team and this was no exception. He lined Hoffman’s second pitch to deep right narrowly missing a dramatic walkoff home run. While Tulowitzki rounded third and scored, the ball caromed off the wall allowing the left fielder to slide in safely with a tying RBI triple as he was serenaded by “MVP, MVP, MVP” chants from a pumped up crowd.

Maybe it was fate that the money player got his chance at redemption and then came into score the winning run on Carroll’s short fly to right. Of course, with a franchise that hasn’t had much success in its 16-year history, it wouldn’t come easy.

Holliday raced for the plate as Giles’ throw came in on a hop to Barrett who blocked the plate. But Holiday slid head first and somehow nipped the edge of the plate with his left hand as the San Diego backstop applied the tag before losing control of the ball. Plate umpire Tim McClelland patiently waited before ruling Holliday safe, sending the entire Colorado dugout onto the field to greet their star who paid the price by banging his chin into Barrett’s leg.

It was only the second time the Rockies made the playoffs. In their third year as a franchise, they also were a wildcard in 1995 under Don Baylor before eventual world champ Atlanta swept them.

It’s been a long time coming for a franchise which had a loser label with six consecutive seasons under .500.

Those days are over. Before they won rallied to win 14 of their last 15, Hurdle’s club was clinging on to life only three over (75-72). They dug deep to finish a franchise best 89-73.

The amazing turnaround rivals that of their first round foes the Phillies who are also in October for the first time since 1993.

Now the two unlikely playoff teams will battle to take one step closer to a pennant.

Pretty amazing stuff in one unpredictable season.