Rockies Beat Marlins 9-8 in Walk-off Fashion
It was a back-and-forth game, but eventually the Florida Marlins came out on top against the Colorado Rockies 9-8, thanks to a walk-off home run from pinch-hitter Donnie Murphy. It was just his fourth at-bat this season. The Rockies appeared to be on top after their four-run eighth inning, but they couldn't shut the doors on the Marlins. Colorado fell to 50-42 in the season and are now four and a half behind the NL West-leading San Diego Padres, while the Marlins improved to 45-47, staying nine games behind the Atlanta Braves in the NL East.
The run support came from all over the line-ups for both teams last night. Jason Giambi started the scoring in the third with a two-run single that turned into a double because of a throwing error. Florida responded in the bottom of the inning after third baseman Emilio Bonifacio mirrored Giambi with a two-run single. He later scored after Hanley Ramirez bunted him home, leaving the Marlins up 3-2 at the end of three.
The bats were quiet until the top of the sixth, when Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez helped his cause with an RBI single, and Seth Smith followed suit with another. Not to be outdone, Mike Stanton blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the sixth to once again put the Marlins on top 6-4. Jose Cantu then brought Bonifacio home on an RBI single in the next inning, increasing their lead to three.
The Rockies responded in the top of the eighth with two home runs, one from Ian Stewart, and a three-run shot from Jonathan Herrera to go on top 8-7.
That led to the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and Murphy up to bat. His walk-off homerun was just his second hit of the season.
"If you had asked me before the game if I was going to hit a walk-off home run after all the stuff that happened tonight, I definitely would have said no," Murphy said. "It was a crazy game. It was just good to come out on top."
The Marlins improved to 2-42 when trailing after eight innings.
"They battled and battled and battled, and we battled and battled and battled," Dan Uggla said. "A lot of good things came out of tonight. You're going to win all of them like that, but we're going to enjoy this one."
Anibal Sanchez has win blown by relief
Though he allowed four runs in six innings, Sanchez was in line for the win when he left the game. But Clay Hensley allowed Stewart's one-run shot in the beginning of the eighth, which was then followed up by Herrera's three-run dinger, the first of his career, which was given up by Jhan Martinez.
"A three-run home run from the most unlikeliest of guys," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said.
Martinez still went on to earn the win, the first of his career.
Ubaldo Jimenez struggles to no decision
Jimenez is still 15-1, despite failing to hold a Rockies' lead twice, and has been battered his last couple starts. Though his ERA is still a low 2.38, he's posted a 6.39 ERA over his past five starts. He said the Miami Heat lead to him tiring out after just three innings on Monday.
"It's crazy pitching here," he said. "You get so tired and exhausted. Other pitchers pitch here. I'm not going to use that as an excuse."
The Marlins were more than glad to see him go.
"You can never get a guy with stuff that good out of the game soon enough," Uggla said. "That's the best stuff I've seen in a long time. He doesn't throw anything straight. He pounds the strike zone. He hits corners. It's not an easy at-bat."
Jimenez's road ERA jumped to 1.60, and in three no decisions this year his ERA is 9.00.
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