updated 8:55 p.m. ET Oct. 4, 2007

Done chasing that wild-card spot, Kaz Matsui and the relentless Colorado Rockies are playing like champs.

Matsui hit his first career grand slam and drove in five runs, leading the Rockies over the Philadelphia Phillies 10-5 Thursday for a 2-0 lead in their NL playoff series.

A day after taking a pitchers’ duel, Colorado outslugged the Phils and got a big effort from its bullpen. With 16 victories in 17 games, the Rockies are winning every which way.

“We believe we’re going to win every game,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We’ve been playing in the loser’s bracket for a month.”

Matsui connected off Kyle Lohse, rushed in to relieve struggling rookie Kyle Kendrick in the fourth inning.

Lohse was the Phillies’ scheduled Game 4 starter. At this rate, the best-of-five series may not get that far.

Rookie Ubaldo Jimenez will try to pitch Colorado to a sweep Saturday night at Coors Field against veteran Jamie Moyer.

Making just the second postseason appearance in the franchise’s 15-year history, Colorado is on the verge of going to its first NL championship series. The Rockies posted their eighth straight road victory.

Matsui fell a single short of the cycle, and Troy Tulowitzki and Matt Holliday homered on consecutive pitches in the first inning off Kendrick, who got a quick hook from manager Charlie Manuel.

Booed out of New York after 2½ seasons with the Mets, Matsui is a perfect fit in calmer Colorado.

“I couldn’t make good results in New York,” Matsui said through a translator. “I’m glad I have a good environment and a good team in Colorado.”

Baseball playoffs Recapping the World Series A look back at Red Sox vs. Rockies

The Phillies had a chance to make it interesting in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs. But closer Manny Corpas came in and retired Carlos Ruiz. Corpas worked around a pair of two-out singles in a scoreless ninth for his second save in as many days.

Before the game, Corpas came under scrutiny because he was caught by TBS cameras on Wednesday pouring a liquid on the front of his jersey and patting his chest and rubbing his fingers before throwing a pitch. He didn’t appear to do anything shady in this appearance.

NLDS: Phillies vs. Rockies Rockies win series 3-0 Game 3: Rockies sweep into NLCS Opinion: West really is best in NL Bullpen helped propel Rockies in series Late coach's sons throw out first pitch Powerless Phillies quickly exit playoffs Game 2: Matsui rocks Phillies Expert: Rockies World Series-bound? Game 1: Rocks stay hot, top Phillies

Jimmy Rollins homered and drove in four runs and Ryan Howard also went deep for Philadelphia, which ended a 14-year playoff drought by capturing the NL East title on the final day of the season.

But it’s been downhill for the Phillies since they followed a wild celebration Sunday with a pep rally at City Hall the next day.

The heavily criticized Manuel gave his critics plenty of ammunition with two questionable moves.

Slide show   Week in Sports Pictures A new kind of cheesehead, thrills and agony at the Olympics, and more more photos

With the Phillies leading 3-2 in the fourth, Manuel pulled Kendrick after pinch-hitter Seth Smith’s infield single loaded the bases with two outs.

Manuel called on Lohse, who made two relief appearances on side days down the stretch. Lohse got ahead 1-2 on Matsui, before grooving a fastball. Matsui drove it into the right-field seats to give the Rockies a 6-3 lead and silence the largest crowd ever at four-year-old Citizens Bank Park.

“Lohse has been pitching really good out of the bullpen, he has good stuff and I felt he was the right guy,” Manuel said.

A total of 45,991 came out, waved their rally towels and cheered wildly despite the score — somewhat out of character for the notoriously tough Philly boobirds. But they sure gave Jose Mesa an earful when the reliever struggled in the sixth.

Don't miss this on MSNBC.com Want to boost kids’ grades? Get 'em moving The eight biggest Olympic marketing debacles Obscure-sports diary: You go, trampoliners! Cosmic Log: Is this your jetpack? Leave the laptop in the bag, firearms at home

Mesa walked his first two batters and allowed a two-run double to Yorvit Torrealba. Clay Condrey entered one out later and gave up an RBI triple to Matsui and RBI single to Holliday that made it 10-3.

“You hope the pitcher can hold the score and you can catch up,” Manuel said.

MORE FROM BASEBALL

Baseball Section Front

Rays rally past Angels, claim AL's best record Internal focus is keeping Rays on top Damon misplays fly in eighth to help Jays win Phillies hand Nationals 11th straight loss 'Frontrunner' Phillies fans boo, cheer Rollins Umpires refuse replay conference call with MLB Dice-K wins 15th as Red Sox top Orioles Beckett sidelined by lingering hand numbness Harden pitches Cubs past Reds Nolasco pitches, bats the Marlins to win. Baseball Section Front   Add Baseball headlines to your news reader: