Sat Jul 5 00:23:20 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Rockies top Marlins in slugfest

---

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Chris Iannetta drove in four runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth, as the Colorado Rockies trailed by as many as nine runs but rallied for a wild, improbable 18-17 win over the Florida Marlins in the second of a four-game set at Coors Field.

With Kevin Gregg on to close with a 17-16 lead, Clint Barmes and Matt Holliday started the ninth with back-to-back singles. Garrett Atkins then ripped a liner to left for a single, and Barmes sprinted home with the tying run. Jeff Baker hit a grounder to second that looked to be a surefire double play, but Hanley Ramirez dropped the flip to second and the bases were loaded. Iannetta then slapped a grounder through the drawn-in infield to give the Rockies one of the most unlikely victories in franchise history.

The teams combined for 43 hits and eight home runs -- six from the Rockies -- in the slugfest.

Atkins finished 5-for-6 with three runs batted in and three runs scored for the Rockies, who picked up their second straight win in their final at-bat and fourth in a row overall. Holliday homered twice -- including a grand slam -- and drove in five runs, while Spilborghs was 4-for-5 with a pair of long balls, three RBI and four runs scored. Barmes also had four hits and scored three times.

The rally made an unlikely winner out of Taylor Buchholz (3-2) who worked a scoreless ninth. Starter Greg Reynolds lasted just 1 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits, while Cedrick Bowers was rocked for five runs in two frames and Jason Grilli was touched for four runs in an inning-plus.

Cody Ross had five RBI for the Marlins, who have lost three of their last four. Hanley Ramirez homered, knocked in two and scored three runs, while Jorge Cantu and Mike Jacobs had four hits apiece.

Gregg (6-4) blew his sixth save while taking the loss in relief of Scott Olsen, who lasted five innings despite being hammered for nine runs -- eight earned -- on 11 hits.