DENVER (AP) -Rookie starter Micah Owings shut down Colorado’s hitters and scored the game’s first run, giving the Arizona Diamondbacks a 1-0 lead over the Rockies after three innings in Game 4 of the NL championship series Monday night.
The wild-card Rockies were trying for a sweep, having won 20 of their previous 21 games. They began the night with a nine-game winning streak that included a sweep of Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs.
Known for a good bat as well as a nice arm, Owings led off the third inning by legging out an infield single. After Eric Byrnes drew a two-out walk, Conor Jackson singled off rookie Franklin Morales for his first RBI of the series.
Owings scattered three hits over the first three innings.
The Rockies are a win away from the first trip to the World Series in franchise history. It’s their inaugural appearance in the NLCS and first time in the playoffs since 1995.
Colorado were one of just five active franchises to have never made it to the World Series, joining Seattle, Tampa Bay, Washington/Texas and Montreal/Washington.
The game was played under more favorable weather Monday night – it was 55 degrees and the skies were clear for the first pitch. The night before, the teams played in a steady, cold drizzle with temperatures in the low 40s.
Matt Holliday and Todd Helton hit back-to-back singles with two outs in the Colorado first, but Garrett Atkins flied out.
Chris Young singled to begin the game for Arizona, only to be picked off first base when he broke for second too soon. Morales ran over and tagged him out midway between first and second.
Owings made his postseason debut on the mound – he pinch-hit in Game 2 and flied out. He is one of the best-hitting pitchers in the majors, hitting .333 with four homers in the regular season.
Morales started his second postseason game. He worked three innings in a no-decision against Philadelphia in the NL division series.
Morales, at 21 years and 264 days, is the youngest pitcher to start a postseason game since Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia threw in the 2001 division series against Seattle. Sabathia was 21 years and 84 days at the time.
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