By the time Thursday night's 8-1 game between the Rockies and D'backs reached the ninth inning, there was only one piece of drama left to unfold. After a line out in the first inning and a pair of strike outs in the middle of the game, both Troy Tulowitzki's 29 game on base and 14 game hitting steak were on the line when he stepped into the box to lead off the final frame of the night.
After two pitches, it looked like both were in trouble. Arizona reliever Matt Stites quickly got ahead of Tulo 0-2; first with a fastball taken for a strike, and then with an 86 mph slider off the plate that Tulo chased out of the zone.