The last time the Rockies played a team with a losing record was when the Marlins came to Coors Field June 23-25. They lost two out of three to the Marlins that weekend, and then went on the road, where they lost the first two games of a three-game series in San Francisco.

They fell four games below .500 (38-42), into fourth place in the NL West, eight games out of first, and just 3 1/2 games ahead of the last-place Padres..

On the final day in San Francisco, however, DJ LeMahieu's two-run home run in the top of the ninth, lifted the Rockies to a 9-8 victory, and now look at the Rockies.

They have put together the best record in the NL since -- 27-14 -- moving into second place in the NL West, just 1 1/2 games back of the division-leading Diamondbacks, and are looking forward to the rest of the season.

Getting Themselves Back in the Race

Team	W	L	Pct	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA
Rockies	27	14	0.659	365.1	308	162	152	42	126	348	3.74
Cubs	27	15	0.643	381	390	203	192	49	149	329	4.54
Phillies	25	18	0.581	397.1	366	186	162	44	134	366	3.67
Braves	23	18	0.561	362	317	170	158	46	148	360	3.93
Cardinals	24	19	0.558	379.2	359	185	168	34	142	317	3.98
Pirates	23	19	0.548	366	394	187	171	39	143	307	4.2
Dodgers	22	21	0.512	390.1	318	160	149	51	100	407	3.44
D-backs	21	21	0.5	382.1	351	176	163	42	126	377	3.84
Brewers	22	22	0.5	392.1	386	226	207	58	159	368	4.75
Mets	20	22	0.476	372.1	372	196	185	49	118	321	4.47
Giants	19	22	0.463	377.2	363	173	163	45	131	333	3.88
Nationals	20	24	0.455	387.2	393	194	184	51	125	333	4.27
Reds	18	23	0.439	364.1	390	218	196	64	122	309	4.84
Marlins	16	26	0.381	380.1	379	224	208	48	166	326	4.92
Padres	12	29	0.293	371	380	217	204	48	135	339	4.95

Yes, they have only seven of their final 40 games against a team with a losing record -- all against the Padres. That, however, hasn't been a problem for them in their 41-game climb back into the post-season race. They have played teams with a winning record in each of their last 41 games.

Winning Against the Winners

Team	W	L	Pct	SvOP	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA	AVG
Giants	4	0	1.000	3-4	36	26	11	10	2	10	30	2.50	.190
A's	3	0	1.000	3-3	27	20	4	4	2	10	28	1.33	.204
Braves	1	0	1.000	1-1	9	6	3	3	1	1	11	3.00	.194
Mariners	5	1	.833	2-2	53	48	19	19	3	15	43	3.23	.244
Dodgers	5	2	.714	3-5	62	55	25	24	10	15	60	3.48	.240
Mariners	4	2	.667	2-4	53	50	29	26	4	27	56	4.42	.246
Astros	2	2	.5	0	36	25	23	21	7	14	33	5.25	.198
Brewers	1	2	.333	1-3	27.2	23	17	16	7	10	28	5.20	.228
Pirates	1	2	.333	1-1	27	23	14	13	3	10	28	4.33	.230
Cardinals	1	3	.250	1-3	34.2	32	17	16	3	14	31	4.15	.242
Totals	27	14	.659	17-26	365.1	308	162	152	42	126	348	3.74	.228

Here is the kicker. The Rockies not only have the best record in the NL during their 41-game climb back into the post-season race, but they have the third lowest ERA among the 15 NL teams during that time, and that's despite playing 21 of the 40 games at Coors Field.

Pitching In to Win

Team	W	L	Pct	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA
Rockies	27	14	.659	365.1	308	162	152	42	126	348	3.74
Cubs	27	15	.643	381	390	203	192	49	149	329	4.54
Phillies	25	18	.581	397.1	366	186	162	44	134	366	3.67
Braves	23	18	.561	362	317	170	158	46	148	360	3.93
Cardinals	24	19	.558	379.2	359	185	168	34	142	317	3.98
Pirates	23	19	.548	366	394	187	171	39	143	307	4.20
Dodgers	22	21	.512	390.1	318	160	149	51	100	407	3.44
D-backs	21	21	.500	382.1	351	176	163	42	126	377	3.84
Brewers	22	22	.500	392.1	386	226	207	58	159	368	4.75
Mets	20	22	.476	372.1	372	196	185	49	118	321	4.47
Giants	19	22	.463	377.2	363	173	163	45	131	333	3.88
Nationals	20	24	.455	387.2	393	194	184	51	125	333	4.27
Reds	18	23	.439	364.1	390	218	196	64	122	309	4.84
Marlins	16	26	.381	380.1	379	224	208	48	166	326	4.92

With the return and resurgence of Jon Gray, the rotation has provided a solid foundation for the surge. Gray, Kyle Freeland and German Marquez are not only a combined 10-2 during the team's 41-game climb back into the post-season race, but the Rockies are 20-3 in the games those three have started.

Starters Providing Foundation for Success

Player	W	L	Team	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA
Jon Gray	2	0	7-0	46.1	34	19	17	5	11	45	3.30
Kyle Freeland	3	1	7-1	47.2	41	13	13	3	20	39	2.45
German Marquez	5	1	6-2	52.2	41	18	17	6	12	62	2.91
Antonio Senzatela	2	2	2-3	30	23	12	12	1	11	23	3.60
Tyler Anderson	2	2	3-6	55.2	38	26	25	9	21	54	4.04
Chad Bettis	0	1	1-2	14	13	12	12	2	8	8	7.71
Jeff Hoffman	0	0	1-0	3.1	8	3	3	0	1	2	8.10
	14	7	27-14	247	198	103	99	26	84	233	3.61

They have put together their 41-game surge despite an offense that ranks 10th in the NL in runs scored during that stretch. They even set a franchise record in the series-opener at Atlanta on Thursday when they failed to score more than six runs for the 24th consecutive game. During that stretch they are hitting .234 overall, and are last in Major League Baseball with a .156 average with runners in scoring position.

A Hit Without Hitting

Team	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	AVG
Nationals	44	1528	235	414	69	9	60	229	172	342	.271
Cardinals	43	1489	216	400	79	4	53	210	150	313	.269
Cubs	42	1434	211	393	78	6	43	200	152	334	.274
Brewers	44	1521	201	389	63	10	56	190	133	411	.256
Mets	42	1413	199	342	76	9	45	182	156	351	.242
Pirates	42	1421	197	379	75	11	49	191	106	334	.267
Braves	41	1400	195	372	84	7	49	192	100	314	.266
Dodgers	43	1467	194	360	79	6	57	184	169	396	.245
D-backs	42	1457	191	379	84	10	41	181	154	353	.26
Rockies	41	1387	189	359	69	13	55	181	116	346	.259
Phillies	43	1491	187	355	62	8	54	179	145	393	.238
Reds	41	1392	183	360	68	5	40	175	139	353	.259
Padres	41	1409	164	336	64	7	44	153	123	381	.238
Giants	41	1424	161	341	65	7	27	151	119	333	.239
Marlins	42	1437	156	348	45	4	34	147	107	321	.242

The Rockies have been given a lift by the recent recall of David Dahl and Ryan McMahon, who were key factors in Thursday's three-run ninth inning. Dahl delivered the game-winning hit in three-run ninth after McMahon drove in the game-tying run. And it was McMahon who had back-to-back game-winning home runs against the Dodgers last weekend, including a three-run, walk-off shot in the 3-2 victory on Saturday.

During the 41-game stretch, Charlie Blackmon had delivered the most game-winning RBI (four), but 14 different position players have had at least one game-winning RBI in the 27 wins, including seven who have had two.

Delivering In the Clutch

Player	GA RBI	GW RBI	PA	Avg.	HR
Nolan Arenado	6	2	167	.311	12
Carlos Gonzalez	6	2	154	.305	7
Trevor Story	6	2	161	.340	9
Charlie Blackmon	5	4	174	.263	8
Ian Desmond	3	0	155	.259	3
Chris Iannetta	3	2	83	.192	3
DJ LeMahieu	3	1	135	.272	2
David Dahl	2	1	35	.258	2
Ryan McMahon	2	2	49	.293	2
Tom Murphy	2	2	49	.149	2
Raimel Tapia	2	2	20	.222	1
Pat Valaika	2	2	42	.211	2
Noel Cuevas	1	1	34	.188	1
Garrett Hampson	1	1	25	.286	0
Gerardo Parra	1	1	124	.243	0

Rockies Have Excelled Vs. Best in Ball -- They Can't Afford to Let Up Now