Somehow, Someway, The Rockies Keep Winning

Despite losing starting pitcher Jose Contreras in the third inning to a strained quadriceps, the Colorado Rockies beat the Reds 5-1. The win completed a four game sweep of Cincinnati and wrapped up a 9-1 homestand. The Rockies also finished the season 7-0 against the Reds.

The NL wild-card leaders increased their lead to 4.5 games over the San Francisco Giants and moved within two games of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West. Rockies' blog Purple Row sees a daunting road ahead given the injuries, but one that the Rockies have a good shot at completing:

With several starters (Contreras, Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez) going through injury issues, keeping up the winning ways on the nine game road trip that the Rockies start tomorrow night in San Diego might prove difficult, but the Rockies have built themselves a buffer over their wild card competition with the strong homestand.