2007 National League Championship Series

Infobox LCS


year = 2007
champion = Colorado Rockies (4)
champion_manager = Clint Hurdle
champion_games = 90-73, .552, GB: ½
runnerup = Arizona Diamondbacks (0)
runnerup_manager = Bob Melvin
runnerup_games = 90-72, .556, GA: ½
date = October 11–October 15
MVP = Matt Holliday (Colorado)
television = TBS
announcers = Chip Caray, Tony Gwynn, and Bob Brenly
radio_network = ESPN Radio
radio_announcers = Dan Shulman and Dave Campbell
umpires = Tim McClelland, Mark Wegner, Larry Vanover, Tom Hallion, Angel Hernandez, Jim Joyce
LDS1 = Arizona Diamondbacks over Chicago Cubs (3-0)
LDS2 = Colorado Rockies over Philadelphia Phillies (3-0)The by|2007 National League Championship Series (NLCS), the second round of the 2007 National League playoffs, began on October 11 and ended on October 15. It was a best-of-seven series, with the Western Division champion Arizona Diamondbacks facing the wild card Colorado Rockies, also from the Western Division. The Rockies swept the series in four games to win their first ever pennant, extending a 17-1 run to 21-1 in the process. The Rockies played the American League champion Boston Red Sox in the 2007 World Series. Colorado's NLCS sweep was only the second NLCS sweep since the seven-game format was adopted in 1985, with the first being the Atlanta Braves' sweep in 1995.

The Rockies had swept the Philadelphia Phillies in three games in the NL Division Series, while the Diamondbacks had swept the Chicago Cubs. The Diamondbacks had home-field advantage due to winning the division. The series marked the first time the Rockies ever advanced to the NLCS and the second time for the Diamondbacks, in the first postseason matchup between the two teams; the Rockies' only prior postseason appearance was in 1995. It was the first time that two Western Division teams had ever met in the NLCS, and only the second to feature expansion franchises (the first being 1986).

The series was telecast on TBS, the first time a League Championship Series was ever shown exclusively on a cable network.

ummary

Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks

Colorado wins the series, 4-0

Game summaries

Game 1

Thursday, October 11, 2007 at Chase Field in Phoenix, ArizonaLinescore
Road=Colorado|RoadAbr=COL
R1=0|R2=1|R3=3|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|RR=5|RH=8|RE=0
Home=Arizona|HomeAbr=ARI
H1=1|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=0|HR=1|HH=9|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Jeff Francis (1-0)|LP=Brandon Webb (0-1)|SV=|

The Rockies took a 1-0 series lead behind a strong 6⅔ innings from starter Jeff Francis. Arizona scored first on a 1^st inning RBI double by Eric Byrnes, but lost the lead two innings later when Colorado right fielder Brad Hawpe hit a 2-run single. The Diamondbacks were taken out of a potential rally in the 7^th 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 Field in Phoenix, ArizonaLinescore
Road=Colorado|RoadAbr=COL
R1=0|R2=1|R3=0|R4=0|R5=1|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|R10=0|R11=1|RR=3|RH=7|RE=1
Home=Arizona|HomeAbr=ARI
H1=0|H2=0|H3=1|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=1|H10=0|H11=0|HR=2|HH=9|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Manny Corpas (1-0)|LP=José Valverde (0-1)|SV=Ryan Speier (1)|

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 Jose Valverde to Colorado leadoff man Willy Taveras, who, earlier, had saved the game with a great diving catch in center field.

Game 3

Sunday, October 14, 2007 at Coors Field in Denver, ColoradoLinescore
Road=Arizona|RoadAbr=ARI
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=1|RH=8|RE=0
Home=Colorado|HomeAbr=COL
H1=1|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=3|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=4|HH=9|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Josh Fogg (1-0)|LP=Liván Hernández (0-1)|SV=Manny Corpas (1)
RoadHR=Mark Reynolds (1)|HomeHR=Matt Holliday (1), Yorvit Torrealba (1)|

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 gave the Rockies a 1-0 lead in the 1st with a 2 out solo shot off Arizona starter Liván Hernández. But Mark Reynolds tied the game in the 4^th with a tape measure shot to left. The decisive blow was delivered in the bottom of the 6th when Yorvit Torrealba battled in an 8 pitch at-bat to drive a 3 run homer to left field that sent Coors Field 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, a lead only the 2004 New York Yankees had blown.

Game 4

Monday, October 15, 2007 at Coors Field in Denver, ColoradoLinescore
Road=Arizona|RoadAbr=ARI
R1=0|R2=0|R3=1|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=3|R9=0|RR=4|RH=10|RE=1
Home=Colorado|HomeAbr=COL
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=6|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=6|HH=6|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Matt Herges (1-0)|LP=Micah Owings (0-1)|SV=Manny Corpas (2)
RoadHR=Chris Snyder (1)|HomeHR=Matt Holliday (2)|

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 6 run 4^th inning. Seth Smith'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's 3 run homer to deep center that, later, would prove to be the game winner. Chris Snyder made it a ballgame in the 8th with a 2 out, 3 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 9^th but Corpas got Eric Byrnes, the center of controversy before Game 3, to hit a check-swing roller to Troy Tulowitzki, who fired to Todd Helton at first to retire the diving Byrnes and send Colorado to the 2007 World Series against the Boston 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 by|1976 Cincinnati Reds finished the playoffs 7-0 sweeping both the LCS and World Series.

Composite Box

2007 NLCS (4-0): Colorado Rockies over Arizona DiamondbacksLinescore
Road=Colorado Rockies
R1=1|R2=2|R3=3|R4=6|R5=1|R6=3|R7=1|R8=0|R9=0|R10=0|R11=1|RR=18|RH=30|RE=2
Home=Arizona Diamondbacks
H1=1|H2=0|H3=2|H4=1|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=3|H9=1|H10=0|H11=0|HR=8|HH=36|HE=3Total Attendance: 196,711 Average Attendance: 49,178|

Quotes

*"Corpas ready, first pitch, checkswing roller...Tulowitzki has it, throws to first...BALLGAME! WORLD SERIES TIME IN COLORADO! He's done it all year! Tulo gunned it over to first. It's a dream that began in the early '90s when the Rockies were awarded the expansion franchise and now 15 seasons in, they're going to the World Series! This one is a Rockies winner at Coors Field!" - 850 KOA Rockies announcer Jeff Kingery, calling the final out.
*"Checkswing roller....Tulowitzki...Colorado's the National League Champion!" - Chip Caray, calling the final out

Notes

References

* [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/ps/y2007/matchup.jsp?series=lcs_b League Championship Series | MLB.com: World Series]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20071010&content_id=2259749&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb MLB names League Championship Series umpires | MLB.com: Official Info]