Woody Paige: Rockies channel Nuggets' late-game, heroic example

May 25—Denver beats Miami.

That is not only a prediction; it's a result.

The Rox overcame themselves and the Marlins on Thursday afternoon in the bottom of the ninth inning to win three of four in the series.

Three victories in the first or last four games of the other series between Denver and Miami would be satisfactory, too.

Plan the parade path for the Nuggets.

While the Nuggets await the NBA Finals after compiling a 12-3 record in the postseason the Rockies have amassed a 13-9 mark in May of the regular season

But hold off on the rout and route for Rox revelry.

They remain last, as customary, in the National League West. But they did flourish in the Fish & Foul clash of the two expansion teams that joined Major League Baseball 30 years ago.

Emphasize the positive. The Rockies are only nine games out of first before the holiday weekend and only seven victories away from The Dick Monfort Line prior to June. At the end of January in front of a friendly Greeley gathering in his hometown the Rockies' owner stated: "We have a lot of talent. A lot of good things are going to happen, and I think they are going to start happening this year. And I think we can play .500 ball.

The Rockies are 59 triumphs away from Monfort's grand goal following the 51st game and a run differential of minus-50, which is tied with the Marlins for the worst in the league.

Sensing some of that Nuggets' magic Thursday the Rockies rallied after the Marlins tied the score at 6 in the top of the last inning with two two-run home runs while biblical-like thunder and lightning like that of the baseball movie "The Natural" surrounded Coors Field.

The Rox got a bad break — one of the multitudes — in the ninth when rookie centerfielder Brenton Doyle, who has been a blessing addition — had to be driven away in a golf cart with tears in his eyes. The Marlins' Jorge Soler, who had homered Tuesday and Wednesday, drove the ball deep to center, but Doyle made the catch as he crashed into and caromed off the cushions and fence in the deepest area of the park. However, when Doyle's glove was extended over the wall, the ball dropped out. Soler, Rockies closer Pierce Johnson, all the players on both sides and the four umpires didn't know where the ball was because of Doyle's body sprawled on the warning track at the base of the wall. As the other Rockies outfielders and trainers, trailed by manager Bud Black, rushed to Doyle, a home run was signaled, and the confused Soler continued around the bases. Initially, it was uncertain if Doyle had injured his head or his knee.

Afterward the examination of Doyle fortunately revealed a bruised knee, and he will be day-to-day, but not on the extended injured list with so many of the Rockies who have been hurt this season.

In his pre-spring training declaration Monfort could not have predicted that the Rockies would lose four relievers and three starters, most especially Germán Márquez. Antonio Senzatela came back, then went away again.

Everybody in Colorado should feel sorry for the Rockies players, but all should feel that Monfort should have signed a couple of experienced, established starters in the off season. The Rockies were thin to begin the campaign. Of course, Monfort has kept his mouth and his checkbook closed.

So the Rockies opened the season 4-16 and were 8-28 dating back to the conclusion of '23. They had a 9-20 record in April and deserved to be wearing those hideous 1970s Colorado license plate costumes on a consistent basis.

The Rox have been respectable in May, but they must face the Mets and future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, and Tylor Megill (5-3), over the weekend before playing in Phoenix on the holiday against the 29-21 Diamondbacks.

The Rockies were intent on not being coerced into extra innings Thursday, as the Marlins brought on reliever Huascar Brazobán. Before the few people remaining of the alleged 20,738, Brazoban threw eight straight balls, then got one out, walked one more to load the bases and allowed the game-winning single to Ezequiel Tovar.

The Rockies celebrated one bright Nuggets-like shining moment.