Rockies jump to early 3-1 lead through 3 as Philly rookie starter J.A. Happ struggles

Rockies take 3-1 lead over Phils after 3 innings

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies pushed across two runs in the first inning of chilly Game 3 on Sunday night when Philadelphia rookie J.A. Happ labored through a 35-pitch inning and took a 3-1 lead over the Phillies after three.

Garrett Atkins had an RBI single in the first to go with a run-scoring double in the third.

The gametime temperature was 35 degrees at first pitch, tying the record for the coldest postseason baseball game on record. The mark is shared with Cleveland and Florida, who played Game 4 of the 1997 World Series in 35-degree weather as well.

Jason Hammel settled down after giving up a solo homer to Chase Utley in the first, retiring the next seven batters, four of them by strikeout.

Atkins’ two-out double to deep center in the third scored Todd Helton, who led off the inning with a walk.

The Rockies also scored twice in the first when Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler led off with singles. Helton brought in Gonzalez on a fielder’s choice.

With two outs, Atkins then singled in Helton.

Atkins was in the lineup because the Phillies scrapped their plans of starting Pedro Martinez in favor of the left-handed Happ. Ian Stewart usually plays third when a righty is on the mound.

The players were dressed in layers on this bone-chilling night, blowing on their hands to keep warm. Jimmy Rollins danced around at short. He also wore a cap underneath his hat to cover his ears.

The weather could’ve been worse.

Gone were the snow flurries and freezing drizzle that blew through the Mile High City on Saturday, bringing frigid temperatures and leading to Game 3 being pushed back a night. The series is tied at one game each.

Philadelphia and Colorado will play Game 4 on Monday afternoon, with Cliff Lee and Ubaldo Jimenez taking the hill. It’s a rematch of Game 1, where Lee handcuffed the Rockies in a 5-1 win.