Coors Field

Matt Beech is ready for the Phillies, but they're not ready for him. Make no mistake. The Phils love what the 25-year-old lefthander has done in his last three triple-A starts: 3-0 record, 30 strikeouts in 24 innings. But if Beech were to come up now, he'd have to make his season debut in Coors Field, baseball's version of Cape Canaveral. A high-ranking Phillies official said the club would prefer to avoid that scenario. So Beech, who struck out 13 in a complete-game win over the hard-hitting Columbus Clippers on Monday night, will make at least one more start for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

The Houston Astros ended one of baseball's record runs. For more than 4 years, a Rockies' run - at least one - was a sure thing at Coors Field. Not anymore. Wade Miller and the visiting Astros handed Colorado its first shutout at home since 1999, increasing their NL Central lead yesterday with a 6-0 victory. The Rockies had scored in 361 consecutive home games since San Diego's Andy Ashby pitched a six-hitter on July 4, 1999. The previous record was 258 games by the Boston Braves from 1892 to 1896.

Roy Halladay is going to do something Tuesday that he's never done before. For the first time in his illustrious career, the Phillies' ace will pitch in the town where he was born when he goes against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field in Denver. Other than requiring some extra tickets for family and friends, Halladay, who will turn 33 on Friday, said the start in Denver will not be a big deal for a couple of reasons. "I've been gone so long that now it's a normal road trip, which is good - less distractions," Halladay said.

There are easier places to make your first major-league start, that's for sure. But righthander Joel Bennett sounds as if he's ready for the launching pad known as Coors Field. "It seems like everyone is making a big deal out of pitching here," said Bennett, who will start for the Phillies against the Colorado Rockies and lefty Brian Bohanon this afternoon. "But I'm not going to change anything. I've got to do my job and prevent them from doing theirs. " The light air in mile-high Denver allows fly balls to travel farther than usual.

Philadelphia sports fans are turning their attention to the boys of fall, and that's more than understandable given the way the boys of summer played yesterday. The reeling Phillies were swept in a day-night doubleheader by the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Losers of 13 of their last 19 games, the Phils blew an early lead and a late lead as they fell in the first game, 11-6. The Rockies won the nightcap, 4-0, as Brian Bohanon tossed a complete-game four-hitter to trump Phillies righthander Joe Grahe, who pitched seven innings and allowed three runs in his first big-league start in four years.

It's supposed to be easy here, in the ballpark that gravity forgot. The scoreboard is supposed to flicker and blink like the counter on a pinball machine. Routine pop-ups are supposed to turn on the afterburners and take off for the bleachers. Line drives - like the one John Vander Wal hit off Curt Schilling in the first inning - trail sparks on their way to the upper deck. "This is probably the best-hitting ballpark in baseball," Phillies manager Jim Fregosi said. "You'd like to come in, swing the bats, and get everybody into the action.

On an electrifying night, Andres Galarraga provided the biggest spark. Galarraga launched the longest home run in Coors Field history before its largest crowd ever last night, leading the Colorado Rockies over the visiting Seattle Mariners, 9-5. The crowd of 50,269, including complimentary tickets, was the biggest in the ballpark's three seasons, eclipsing the 50,247 fans who saw Los Angeles on July 14. In the much-anticipated showdown...

8:40 tonight, Coors Field, Denver. TV: Channel 17. Radio: WPHT (1210-AM); WUBA (1480-AM) Spanish.   Tonight's pitchers   Phillies RHP Roy Halladay (6-1, 1.45) vs. Rockies RHP Aaron Cook (1-3, 6.03)   Three matchups to watch   Roy Halladay vs. Coors Field: The veteran righthander grew up in suburban Denver but never has pitched in his hometown. He gets the chance tonight while looking for his seventh win of the young season. Halladay vs. Jason Giambi: Giambi has had good career success against his frequent AL East nemesis.

The Phillies lost their closer just hours before they opened a four-game series last night in a ballpark where it would seem nice to have somebody who can throw a baseball 100 m.p.h. But injuries happen, and the Phillies had to make do. They did in a 6-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Phillies righthander Tim Worrell pitched in place of Billy Wagner, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain, and picked up his second save of the season.

Coors Field, where the Phillies will either extend the National League division series or end their fascinating season, is no longer a homer-hitting paradise. Oh, there are still lots of homers here, but the rate isn't nearly as high as in years past. It has nothing to do with the ballpark - or the high altitude and hitter-friendly thin air. It has everything to do with how the baseballs are stored. It all started in 2002, when Major League Baseball gave the Colorado Rockies permission to store their baseballs in a humidor.

B.J. UPTON and his brother Justin hit back-to-back homers for the first time in their careers, leading the Atlanta Braves past the Colorado Rockies, 10-2, Tuesday night to complete a doubleheader sweep on a day that began with the coldest game ever played at Coors Field. It was the 27th time in major league history that brothers homered in the same game but only the second time they went deep in consecutive at-bats. Lloyd and Paul Waner of the Pittsburgh Pirates also hit successive homers on Sept.

DENVER - The subject matter being studied under the microscope has changed over the years. Seldom have the up-close inspections affected Cole Hamels' on-field performance. Hamels zoomed through the farm system after the Phillies made him a first-round pick in 2002, proved he belonged in the big leagues as soon as he arrived, and was the best pitcher in the postseason when his team won the World Series in 2008. The only double bogey of Hamels' career was the 2009 season, and even Tiger Woods fails to make the cut sometimes.

DENVER - The subject matter being studied under the microscope has changed over the years. Seldom have the up-close inspections affected Cole Hamels' on-field performance. Hamels zoomed through the farm system after the Phillies made him a first-round pick in 2002, proved he belonged in the big leagues as soon as he arrived, and was the best pitcher in the postseason when his team won the World Series in 2008. The only double bogey of Hamels' career was the 2009 season, and even Tiger Woods fails to make the cut sometimes.

DENVER - The season on the brink resumed for the Phillies Friday night at Coors Field and they took another step closer to the edge of darkness. After a four-day respite from the daily defeats, the Phillies arrived for work early to participate in a mandatory workout called by manager Charlie Manuel. Time off and an early practice session did not provide the tourniquet they so desperately need. In fact, the start of the second half looked a lot like the end of the first as the lowly Colorado Rockies pinned a 6-2 loss on a Phillies team that did not play any facet of the game particularly well.

DENVER - For a person of his stature, first baseman Todd Helton has had what many describe as a borderline Hall of Fame career well under the radar. Not that the 6-foot-2 Helton is the type who seeks publicity, but as he and the Rockies begin a three-game series on Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park against the Phillies, his efforts these days are receiving even less attention. Both Helton and the Rockies have been struggling. Colorado is 25-40 and has lost 10 of its last 11. Helton, meanwhile, is batting .242 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs.

Before last week's NFL draft, the league expanded the offseason roster by 10 to 90 positions. So teams were on the phones immediately after Saturday's seventh round speaking to players who had gone undrafted. Seven Temple Owls signed rookie free-agent contracts on Sunday, bringing the Owls' total NFL signees for 2012 to 10, tying for the largest class in school history. (Ten former Owls also inked NFL deals a year ago) Linebacker Stephen Johnson (Norristown) signed with New Orleans, and receiver Rod Streater (Burlington)

DENVER - Roy Halladay's work day at Coors Field on Wednesday afternoon will not be etched in the memories of Phillies fans alongside the perfect game in Florida or the postseason no-hitter against Cincinnati. And yet you got the impression the Phillies ace felt a real sense of satisfaction about leaving the town where he grew up with an 8-6 victory that allowed his team to complete a three-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. "You know, a lot of times here it's going to be that way," Halladay said after he navigated his way through seven turbulent innings and picked up his league-leading 14th win of the season.

DENVER - Ubaldo Jimenez brushed aside Atlanta's powerful bats along with all that trade talk, and Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez homered as the Rockies routed the Braves, 12-3, Tuesday night. It was the first win for Colorado in six tries against the Braves this month, and for once Atlanta rookie Freddie Freeman didn't do any damage at the plate. Freeman entered the game 10 for 19 against the Rockies after clubbing five homers and knocking in 10 runs against them. He was hitless in three at-bats against Jimenez, striking out twice.

DENVER - Tim Lincecum, the two-time Cy Young Award winner who led San Francisco to the World Series title six months ago, took a no-hitter into the seventh inning at Coors Field and the Giants routed the Colorado Rockies, 8-1, Monday night. Spotted an early eight-run cushion thanks to homers by Pat Burrell, Nate Schierholtz, and Freddy Sanchez, Lincecum cruised through Colorado's lineup, dominating baseball's best team over the season's first 21/2 weeks until Carlos Gonzalez broke up his no-hit bid with a clean single in the seventh.

Troy Tulowitzki turned in a defensive gem one inning, then flashed his prodigious power the next. Tulowitzki homered and drove in three runs, Carlos Gonzalez also had three RBI and visiting Colorado took advantage of a struggling New York Mets bullpen in a 7-6 victory last night. "Every day these guys do something that you're just like, wow!" first baseman Ty Wigginton said. "They're definitely special and the Rockies have a lot of reasons to be excited about them. " A Gold Glove winner last year, Tulowitzki made a terrific jump throw from shortstop to preserve a seventh-inning tie. Moments later, his eighth-inning homer gave the Rockies a three-run lead.