It is a statistic that is both revealing and deceptive at the same time.

The D-Backs and Rockies have played 29 innings of baseball through three games.

The Diamondbacks have held the lead after only one of the 29 innings.

Inning one of Game 1 after an Eric Byrnes RBI-double scored Stephen Drew and gave Brandon Webb and the D-Backs a 1-0 lead.

Revealing because it shows the offensive ineptitude of the team in this series. Deceptive because it would appear the Rockies have owned the D-Backs.

Not the case.

I would like to see how the D-Backs would play if they had the lead.

If Eric Byrnes’ smash right back at Josh Fogg last night with two on in the first had gone into centerfield. If Tony Clark’s hit to the gap hadn’t been chased down by Willie Tavares. If Stephen Drew hadn’t “assumed” he was out at second. If they hadn’t grounded into three double plays in the first three innings of Game 3.

Instead, we’ll never know.

The D-Backs are down 3 games to none, and by now you’ve had it drilled in your head that the 2004 Boston Red Sox are the only team to ever come back from such a deficit.

Here in Denver, the Rockies are playing with a sense of invincibility. Winning 20 of 21 will do that to a team and a community. Maybe the D-Backs can win four straight, but will the Rockies lose four straight?

Not happening.

We’ll see who pitches tonight for the D-Backs. All indications are that it will be Micah Owings, whom we haven’t seen in a game since Pittsburgh the last week of the regular season.

But my friend Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic wrote this morning that we shouldn’t be surprised if Webb starts on short rest tonight. I would be, but we’ll see.

Either way, it doesn’t make much of a difference if the D-Backs continue to come up empty offensively.

Four runs in three games. Not even Curt Schilling or Randy Johnson could save that.