St. Cloud Times from Saint Cloud, Minnesota • Page 41

St Cloud Times www.sctimes.com SPORTS Sunday. Oct. 14. 2007 a RocMes keep rolling despite their big bats' disappearance I I a vzzrr ft i 1" AP photo Cleveland Indians' Grady Sizemore hits a fifth-inning home run off Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, left, in Game 2 of the American League Championship baseball series Saturday at Fenway Park in Boston. Catching for the Red Sox is Jason Varitek.

Down 1-0 in ALCS, Cleveland tied with Boston after 9 innings iiiil DENVER (AP) Long known for their big bats, the Colorado Rockies have suddenly become masters of small balL Several sluggers have van ished in the playoffs. The Rockies have just one extra-base hit in the NL championship series, and that was adoublebyleadoff man Willy Taveras that nobody else could have legged out Yet the rollin' Rockies are unbeaten in the postseason and they're two wins from their first World Series while the snake-bit Arizona Diamondbacks can't seem to catch a break. Even the forecast for Game 3 tonight calls for highs in the 40s with a chance of rain, not exactly the kind of weather the desert dwellers with the retractable roof are accustomed to. Plus, in the 48-year history of divisional play, no team has been able to overcome losing the first two games at home to win a league championship series. Arizona outfielder Eric Byrnes said the Diamondbacks don't feel as though they're facing long odds.

"I think we're a good team. I also don't think the Rockies have outplayed us, because they haven't Not even close," Byrnes said. "They've had a little luck go their way. Definitely the ball has bounced in their direction. They've been the beneficiary of some calls.

"We look back on those first two games, we have not been outplayed. If anything I think it's the other way around," Byrnes insisted. "So, that gives us confidence knowing that we can play with them. That and the fact that we played them about 9,000 times this year. We are not really fazed by what's going on right now" Neither are the Rockies, who have won 19 of 20 and insist they're not stumped by their offensive slump.

"I'll go 0-for-the-rest-of-the-series as long as we win the next two games," Troy Tulowit-zki said. Heck, Matt Holliday said, "I don't care if I don't get another hit the rest of the playoffs as long AP photo Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki looks on before the start of baseball practice Saturday in Denver. The Rockies will play the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series Sunday evening in Denver. Colorado leads the best-of-seven games series 2-0. ton, a rare blemish on his postseason record of 9-2 with a 1.93 ERA entering the game.

Fausto Carmona went 19-6 this season with a 3.06 ERA, second-best in the AL, but the right-hander gave up four runs and four hits with five walks in four innings. Both pitched outstanding games in their AL division series. Ramirez and Lowell also drove in all the runs during a three-run third that gave Boston a 3-1 lead. Ramirez drew his third bases-loaded walk in two games no other player has had more than one in a single postseason series and Lowell lined a two-run single. Cleveland went in front in the first when Grady Sizemore led off the game with a double and scored on a two-out double by Victor Martinez.

Peralta hit a three-run drive in the fourth and Sizemore had a solo shot in the fifth to help the Indians build a 5-3 lead. Ortiz reached base safely in 10 consecutive postseason plate appearances, equaling the mark BOSTON (AP) Manny Ramirez set a postseason career record with his 23rd homer, Boston teammate David Ortiz tied another October mark and the Red Sox and Cleveland Indians were tied at 6 after nine innings in Game 2 of the AL championship series Saturday night. The game was still in progress at press time. The Red Sox, who won the opener 10-3, scored three runs in the fifth to take a 6-5 lead. Ramirez tied it with a two-run drive and Mike Lowell followed with a solo shot Both came out of the dugout to acknowledge the cheers.

When Ramirez went to left field in the top of the sixth, he raised his cap to the roaring crowd. The Indians tied it in the sixth when Jhonny Peralta walked, took third on Kenny Lofton's single and scored on Franklin Gutierrez's groundout i Neither starting pitcher made it out of the fifth, i Curt Schilling allowed five runs in 4 2-3 innings for Bos NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES Arizona 3, Chicago 0 Arizona 3, Chicago 1 Arizona 8, Chicago 4 Arizona 5, Chicago 1 Colorado 3, Philadelphia 0 Colorado 4, Philadelphia 2 Colorado 10, Philadelphia 5 Colorado 2, Philadelphia 1 CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Thursday, Oct 11 Colorado 5, Arizona 1 Friday, Oct 12 Colorado 3, Arizona 2, 11 innings, Colorado leads series 2-0 Sunday, Oct 14 Arizona (Hernandez 11-11) at Colorado (Fogg 10-9), 7:37 p.m. Monday, Oct 15 Arizona (Owings 8-8) at Colorado (Morales 3-2), 9:18 p.m Wednesday, Oct 17 Arizona at Colorado, 7:37 p.m., if necessary Friday, Oct 19 Colorado at Arizona, 7:37 p.m., if necessary Saturday, Oct 20 Colorado at Arizona, TBD, if necessary as we keep winning games." Try this for lumbering lumber: Todd Helton is hitting .100 in the postseason and is 1-for-19 since slapping a triple in his first postseason at-bat. MVP hopeful Holliday and Rookie of the Year contender Tulowitzki are both scuffling at .190. Garrett Atkins leads the befuddled bunch with a relatively robust .250 batting average.

Those four boppers combined for a .312 batting average with 160 doubles, 14 triples, 102 homers and 463 RBIs during the season. In the playoffs, they're 15-for-82 (.183) with three doubles, a triple, three homers and six RBIs. Still, they're doing just enough to keep the Rockies Express rolling right along and they figure it's just a matter of time before the big bats awaken. -inr" iWSr.r 1 set by Billy Hatcher with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990. Ortiz walked in the first inning and hit an infield single in the third, putting him on base safely 18 times in 20 trips to the plate during the playoffs this year.

His streak ended in the fifth when he grounded into a fielder's choice against Rafael Perez. The big slugger hustled to first base, beating out a potential double play before Ramirez went deep. Ramirez had shared the playoff record with former New York Yankees star Bernie Williams. The shot also was Ramirez's ninth in LCS play, tying Williams and George Brett for the major league record. Coco Crisp got Boston's big third inning started with a single.

Crisp stole second before Julio Lugo struck out. Dustin Pedroia walked, but Kevin Youkilis also struck out. Then Ortiz lined a ball off Carmona's glove It trickled to shortstop Peralta, who couldn't make a play, leaving the bases loaded. Thi btst coviragc In TStaa I i ppptf er.fi ui. fch a 4 mass ss get fired up this season! SKI) APR financing months on '07 Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche, TrailBlazer, or Silverado Regular and Half-Ton Extended Cabs for well-qualified buyers.

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