Diamondbacks handle Rockies, make up ground on Padres in postseason chase

The Arizona Diamondbacks probably need to win every game for the rest of the season to have a chance at the postseason, and they started their final week with a commanding 7-2 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Coors Field.

The D-backs (83-74) have won three games in a row to keep their playoff window cracked open.

The Philadelphia Phillies (87-70) defeated the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the day, lowering the D-backs’ elimination number to two. The D-backs needed to win in order to avoid that getting down to one.

The San Diego Padres (87-70) were still playing the Los Angeles Dodgers by the time Arizona wrapped up on Tuesday. L.A. took an early 5-0 lead, as the D-backs are forced to root for one division rival to beat another. The Dodgers won 7-0.

The Cubs (87-70), meanwhile, lost to the Miami Marlins in 12 innings.

The Phillies, Padres and Cubs are each four games ahead of the D-backs with five to play. Chicago’s magic number is one since it owns the tiebreaker over Arizona. San Diego’s and Philadelphia’s magic numbers are two.

If Arizona wins on Wednesday, its playoff hopes will at least survive another day regardless of what else happens around the league.

The Diamondbacks can be eliminated on Wednesday with a loss and wins from the Phillies and Padres.

How the Diamondbacks beat the Rockies

The Diamondbacks sent all nine hitters to the plate in the first inning against longtime Rockies starter Kyle Freeland, taking an early 3-0 lead.

Arizona ended up tagging Freeland with five earned runs in three innings in what could have been the final home outing for the franchise’s all-time leader in starts and innings. Freeland enters free agency this offseason after 10 years pitching for his hometown team.

The D-backs continued to pile on, including in the seventh inning, when Nolan Arenado blasted a solo shot 421 feet in what was his home ballpark for eight years. He tied Carlos Gonzalez for the third most home runs in Coors Field history with 139.

Arenado has hit six home runs in his last 11 games and has 28 this season. He finished a triple shy of the cycle on Tuesday.

Starting pitcher Michael Soroka, meanwhile, was great, pitching around some sloppy defense early. He delivered seven innings with one earned run, striking out nine hitters with one walk and two hits. Breaking balls can act differently in Denver’s altitude, but Soroka’s slurve was dancing, drawing seven of his 16 whiffs.

Soroka has given up two earned runs over his last 15 innings of work, lowering his ERA to 3.31.

How can the D-backs catch the Phillies, Padres?

The D-backs own the tiebreaker over the Phillies, so they simply need to be four games better than Philadelphia over the last five.

• Diamondbacks go 5-0, Phillies go 1-4 or worse
• Diamondbacks go 4-1, Phillies go 0-5

The D-backs’ head-to-head tiebreaker with the Padres comes down to their final series against each other to end the regular season. They still need some help to enter that series with a chance to sweep for a playoff spot:

• Diamondbacks go 5-0, Padres go 1-4 or worse
• Diamondbacks go 4-1, Padres go 0-5

Wednesday’s starters

RHP Merrill Kelly (9-14, 5.00) vs. RHP Mason Adams (0-1, 5.09)

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