What a way to lose a championship series game! Walk in the winning run in the top of the eleventh inning! Diamondbacks reliever Jose Valverde threw a startling 42 pictches in 1 1/3 innings, and after he was sent to the showers with the Rockies up 3-2, the Rockies just held on and got three more outs.

The decision to activate center fielder Willie Tavares has been drawing criticism in the local press, primarily because of his return to the lead off spot in the hitting lineup, and the resulting shift of Troy Tulowitzki to bat seventh. Tavares had been out of the lineup for about six weeks with a strained leg muscle, and in his absence Matsui and Tulo sparkled as first and second in the order. Well, not to worry. Tavares has been doing OK at the plate, Tulo as well, and Tavares' speed served up a fantastic catch in the seventh. If you haven't already seen this play on your local sports highlights segment, don't worry. It's going to be in dozens and dozens of "best of" clips for several years to come.

Mr Woodstock and I are getting a little irritated with the play by play announcers' continuing comments of surprise at the team the Rockies are fielding these days. It's not surprising that nobody outside of the reach of Fox Sports Rocky Mountain knows very much about us. I think we were in nationwide primetime exactly ONCE this season. But, baseball fans in other Fox Sports regional areas have been able to catch us now and then when we were the visitors, or when other teams played at Coors.

The reason you're so surprised, broadcast crew of TBS, is that you haven't thought to check us out before now.

Your loss, fellas!

Enjoy the new black and purple world you're living in!

And one closing item - Here's Rocky Mountain News cartoonist Drew Litton on the scene during game one on Thursday evening.