Rich Hofmann | Offense powerless at the end

DENVER – In the second inning, the lights went out at Coors Field and the amateur omen-ologists immediately went about their work. With the Phillies facing elimination against the Colorado Rockies last night in their National League Division Series, it is not hard to guess what they were saying: that the climb had been too long, and the task was now too hard, and the energy for one more comeback for the Phillies was just not there, and that this was the sign.

The lights were knocked out by what the Rockies described as a "computer malfunction," and fixed when they rebooted the computer (and maybe hit it on the side). But for 14 minutes, darkness was both the reality and the metaphor in Game 3 of the NLDS.

For 6 months, the Phillies had mocked both the omens and the predictions. We alternated between skepticism and wonder as the season played out. Our heads told us it was impossible but our eyes told us something else again, especially at the end, especially during a September run when the Phillies and the Mets passed each other on bullet trains headed in opposite directions. ("My name is Mr. Met and I am a gagaholic…")

And now it is over. A grand and fun run to the playoffs, the Phillies' first trip since 1993, is done. The lights came on and the Phils didn't hit for a third consecutive game, and that was that. The Rockies swept them out of the series and the post-season by a 2-1 score.

"There's a reason they're here – they've got a good pitching staff," said Phils centerfielder Aaron Rowand. "They're a good team, they were hot, and the bottom line was that we just didn't hit."

Bottom line: the Phils hit .172 for the series, with only 16 hits and eight runs scored in the three games.

That was the real metaphor of the lights: no power for this Phillies offense, none at all. They went 19 straight batters between the first inning and the seventh without a base hit, a string of futility for the highest-scoring team in the National League that ended when Shane Victorino hit the Phillies' fifth solo home run of the series. Because of that, and because of Jamie Moyer's strong start – six innings, one run, five hits – they were tied at 1-1 heading into the bullpen portion of the proceedings.

The Phillies' inability to get anything going offensively has been the story of the series. After being befuddled by lefthanded starters in Games 1 and 2, they were almost completely neutered last night by Rockies righthander Ubaldo Jimenez, whose fastball hit 98 miles per hour on the radar gun at least once.

Coming in, they were hopeful. But this was just another night of anemia. They all took time to credit the Rockies' pitching but, as manager Charlie Manuel said, after it was over, "We were a little bit tight." He said, "I wouldn't call it pressing. I would say we were anxious, like we wanted it too bad or were trying too hard. But then I give the Rockies credit for their pitching."

It would be way harsh to say that the game was finally lost in the bullpen because the bullpen really just got nicked a little bit. It had been the scene of so many problems this season, but you really cannot pin this on them.

Tom Gordon got them through the seventh inning in one piece, striking out NL Rookie of the Year candidate Troy Tulowitzki with runners on first and second to end the inning. Gordon started the eighth inning with the clear notion that he would face only the first hitter, righthanded MVP candidate Matt Holliday, and Holliday promptly flied out to right.

After seeing so much blow up on him in Game 2, Manuel pushed every correct button in Game 3. He started Abraham Nunez for his defense at third base, and Nunez threw out Jimenez on a slow roller in the second inning, saving a run. He started Victorino in rightfield in place of Jayson Werth, and Victorino punched a home run through a cold north wind that was gusting to 39 miles per hour. Then he maneuvered Gordon exactly the way he had hoped.

That brought in lefthander J.C. Romero, and the end. With two out, Garrett Atkins singled to left. Brad Hawpe followed with a hard ground ball to the right side. Phils second baseman Chase Utley dove to keep it from going into rightfield, but the ball caromed away from Utley and Atkins was able to move to third. He then scored the go-ahead run when pinch-hitter Jeff Baker bounced a single into rightfield.

And that was it. Minutes later, there was this awful search for the right words.

"For me, I just feel sad," catcher Carlos Ruiz said. "It's a part of baseball. Now everybody has to go home and get ready for next year. But now it's over. There's nothing I can say. It's just hard."

The losing clubhouse was as quiet and as down as you would expect. Manuel made a proud, slow lap around the room after he finished his press conference, shaking the hand of everyone he could find. It had been some kind of run.

"As a whole, we had a good season," Rowand said. "We battled, showed a lot of character through a lot of tough times this season and came out on top. When I look back on the season, I will have fond memories or the 2007 season and these guys. We just stopped hitting at the wrong time."