Extra, Extra! Rockies Extend Playoff Series

Once again, the Colorado Rockies couldn’t stop the Atlanta Braves from rallying in the ninth inning. This time, though, it didn’t cost them the game.

The Rockies, after losing Games 1 and 2 in the last inning, gave up the tying run in the ninth Friday night. But Colorado came back on RBI singles from Andres Galarraga and Vinny Castilla in the 10th to beat the Braves 7-5 and cut their deficit in the N.L. playoffs to 2-1.

“When they tied it in the ninth, we never got down, not for a second,” Castilla said. “No one said, ‘here we go again.’ Everyone said we’re gonna win this game.”

This time, it was Mark Thompson who saved one for the bullpen.

“I’m glad they had confidence to put me in in that situation,” said Thompson, who recorded his first major league save after struggling through a regular season in which he was 2-3 with a 6.53 ERA. “That two-run lead really helped.”

Galarraga had fanned three times in a row when he got his tie-breaking single.

Pinch-hitter Luis Polonia hit an RBI single in the ninth for Atlanta, making it 5-5. Darren Holmes ended the inning by retiring Marquis Grissom on a grounder, stranding runners at first and second. The Braves won the series opener Tuesday night on Chipper Jones’ tie-breaking homer in the ninth at Coors Field. Atlanta won the second game by rallying for four runs in the ninth for a 7-4 victory.

Colorado won this one, however, with a two-out burst in the 10th off Braves relief ace Mark Wohlers.

“I stunk,” Wohlers said. “That’s the way it goes.”