DENVER — On a given night, opponents might solve the offerings of Colorado pitchers Jeff Francis or Josh Fogg. They might even shut down heavy hitters Matt Holliday or Brad Hawpe.

But there's no defense for what the Colorado Rockies do best: play defense.

During the regular season, the Rockies committed 68 errors, 15 fewer than the next-best team in the National League, the Pittsburgh Pirates. That tied the record for fewest errors set by the Mets in 1999 and resulted in a major league record .989 team fielding percentage by the Rockies.

Center fielder Willy Taveras made arguably the most sensational play of the National League Championship Series, robbing Arizona's Tony Clark with a diving catch that likely saved Game 2. But the success of the defense revolves heavily around the infield of Todd Helton, Kaz Matsui, Troy Tulowitzki and Garrett Atkins, who committed a combined 30 errors this season.

"That's a dream come true when you get guys who can play defense and hit as well as Atkins, Tulowitzki, Matsui and Helton," said coach Mike Gallego, who works with the infielders.

"They understood from the beginning what it takes to win games. They know we're not going to win it with the bat every single day."

Francis, who'll start Colorado's first World Series game tomorrow, has seen the payoff again and again.

"They're always behind me, making the routine plays every time and making the odd incredible play," Francis said. "That gives a pitcher a comforting feeling."

Atkins understands where Francis is coming from. "Our pitchers realize they don't have to be perfect," he said. "They can let guys hit it and we're going to catch it. That hasn't always been the case."

Indeed, Colorado's team fielding percentage has improved from .9806 in 2005 to .9854 last year to .9891 this season. Atkins sees a snowball effect.

"I just try to do my small part over there at third and try to keep up with Todd, who has Gold Gloves, and Kaz (Matsui), who has Gold Gloves in Japan, and Tulo, who's headed in that direction," Atkins said. "If you don't make the plays on this team you're not keeping up with the amount of talent and the amount of pride people take with their defense."

Helton, a three-time Gold Glove winner at first base, can make any teammate look good. Matsui committed only four errors, which is the fewest by major league second basemen playing at least 100 games.

Atkins, who committed just 13 errors, is no slouch. But even he sometimes gets replaced by Jamey Carroll for defensive purposes in the late innings.

The player in the middle of the improvement this season has been Tulowitzki, the rookie shortstop who has made as big an impact with his glove as with his bat (.291, 24 homers, 99 RBIs).

Gallego is as impressed with Tulowitzki's mental approach as his physical tools.

"He's a first-grader time-wise, but mentally, he's a senior in high school out there," Gallego says. "He knows the opponents so well. You won't see him make the same mistake twice. The great plays, they come because these guys are prepared."

Tulowitzki has been most spectacular fielding balls hit to his right and throwing across his body.

"Every time he goes to his right he throws the guy out by two steps," Gallego says. "That's pretty impressive — the power he gets on his throws with the accuracy."

Tulowitzki says focus helps.

"The most important thing for me is something I learned in college — being into every single pitch, because that one pitch you take off might be the pitch that's hit right at you," he said. "Expect the ball to be hit to you and want the ball to be hit to you."

Tulowitzki and Matsui have united seamlessly as a double-play tandem in spite of Tulowitzki's inexperience and the communication gap due to Matsui's limited English.

"He understood from the beginning that the communication between him and Matsui could be difficult," Gallego said. "So he worked from day one in spring training on that. Matsui, on the other hand, understood that he's the veteran and he had a rookie shortstop. Matsui's English is not good at all and Tulo doesn't speak any Japanese, but they're communicating all the time through hand language."

Catcher Yorvit Torrealba says much comes down to the pitching staff executing its game plan and locating pitches where they want them. It's enabled the outfielders as well as infielders to position themselves with confidence.

Like Gallego, outfield coach Glenallen Hill uses spray charts, in part using data compiled by advance scout Chris Warren, to determine opponents' tendencies.

But it's not a perfect science.

"Tony Clark pulls a ball that he normally hits to left-center field," said Hill, recalling Taveras' diving grab on a ball in the right-center gap. "That was just speed and physical ability. ... It was meant to be."

"No one 'tries' to make a play like that," Taveras said. "I got there by diving. It (turned out) great for us, but when you dive, who knows what could happen.

"I just know our defense has been great. That's why we're winning games. When you're like that, sometimes you don't have to hit a home run. The other team has to hit a home run to score some runs."