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Olivo breaks loose, lifts Rockies past Phillies

May 13, 2010 - 2:33 AM By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Sports Writer

DENVER(AP) -- The Philadelphia Phillies have seen enough of Miguel Olivo - at the plate and behind it.

After being chided by Major League Baseball for using binoculars in the bullpen to spy on the Colorado catcher's signs, the Phillies watched Olivo go 5 for 5 Wednesday, including a leadoff homer in the 10th inning that lifted the Rockies past Philadelphia 4-3.

The second game of the day-night double-header was postponed because of rain and snow with no makeup date announced. This was the Phillies' only scheduled trip to Denver this season.

Olivo's first career game-winning hit capped a dramatic recovery from a prolonged slump. He entered the game in a 2-for-28 skid.

Olivo sent Chad Durbin's first pitch, a hanging breaking ball, far over the left-field wall, then flipped his bat in celebration.

"I thought he was going to take it because he's a fastball hitter," said Durbin (0-1). "If he's looking for offspeed first pitch, then tip your hat to him."

Joe Beimel (1-0) threw 1 1-3 scoreless innings on a cold, damp and windy day that followed an overnight snowfall.

Olivo's second career five-hit game included three hits off Phillies ace Roy Halladay.

"Not many people do that to Halladay," Olivo said. "He's the greatest pitcher in the big leagues. But sometimes people make mistakes and you hit them."

Before the game, the Phillies insisted they weren't trying to steal signs when bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer was caught on camera peering through binoculars from the bullpen bench at Coors Field earlier this week.

Manager Charlie Manuel told The Associated Press that Billmeyer simply was watching Philadelphia catcher Carlos Ruiz set up defensively. However, FSN Rocky Mountain, the flagship broadcaster of the Rockies, showed Billmeyer using the binoculars to peer in on Olivo while the Phillies were at bat in the top of the second inning in the series opener.

Olivo said Billmeyer's actions could tarnish the two-time defending NL champions.

"If you're a good team and you win, I think you don't need to do that because they got good hitters, they got good players," Olivo said. "If it helps them, if they don't get caught, then whatever. If they get caught, then they're going to pay for it."

At least reputation-wise.

Olivo said his coaches told him to switch the signs every inning Monday night after Billmeyer was busted using the binoculars.

On Wednesday, Halladay took a 3-1 lead into the seventh in his quest for his seventh win, but the Colorado native wound up with a no-decision after Brad Hawpe's tying, two-run triple.

Halladay surrendered three runs, two of them earned, on 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings. He made his first start in Colorado since high school, pitching in a game with weather similar to what he had to deal with as a prep prodigy at Arvada West in the mid-1990s.

"He was having trouble gripping the ball," Manuel said. "The ball was taking off on him. He was battling, but it was cold. Their pitcher might have had the same problem."

Aaron Cook allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings.

Halladay refused to blame the wintry weather for his troubles: "It really wasn't that bad. It was dry," he said.

In the fourth, Rockies second baseman Melvin Mora (right leg) and Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz (right knee) were knocked out of the game on the same, strange play.

Ruiz, who had twisted his right knee on a play at the plate in the first inning when Carlos Gonzalez scored on a sacrifice fly to left, hit a groundball to third base, where Stewart stepped on the bag and threw to second base. Mora stretched awkwardly to his right to catch the throw and was unable to pivot and throw to first for a possible triple play.

Ruiz wasn't taking any chances at ignominy and raced down the line. He was replaced by pinch-runner Paul Hoover once he reached third base following a double by the next hitter, Wilson Valdez.

The Phillies said he was day-to-day.

Ruiz said he probably could have scored on Valdez's double if he wasn't hobbled. He said he didn't think the injury was serious and predicted he'd be back in the lineup quickly.

The Rockies said Mora strained a gluteal muscle in his right leg on the play and is day-to-day. He was replaced by Eric Young Jr.

The Phillies said they would decide on their flight home how the rainout affects their rotation. The Rockies said right-hander Jhoulys Chacin would pitch as scheduled Thursday night against Washington. Right-hander Jason Hammel (groin) was due to come off the 15-day DL to pitch Wednesday's nightcap but now wasn't sure when he'd be activated or when he'd start again.

Although the teams have common off-days later in the season, this game might not be made up if it doesn't matter in the standings.

NOTES: Colorado manager Jim Tracy was ejected in the ninth for vehemently arguing first base umpire Cory Blaser's out call on Young's bang-bang play at first. ... The Phillies sent closer Brad Lidge back to Philadelphia to have his surgically repaired right pitching elbow examined by team doctor Michael Ciccotti.