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Giambi HR caps 4-run ninth as Rox squish Fish

Aug 16, 2011 - 6:05 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Jason Giambi belted a three-run, game-winning home run in the bottom of the ninth to vault the Colorado Rockies over the Florida Marlins, 7-4, in the opener of a three-game series.

Carlos Gonzalez drove home Dexter Fowler with a game-tying double earlier in the frame. Marlins manager Jack McKeon -- in his 2,000th major-league game at the helm -- elected to walk Troy Tulowitzki to get to Giambi.

Leo Nunez (1-3) was charged with the loss, although Randy Choate surrendered the deciding homer to Giambi.

Matt Belisle (7-4) threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to earn the win for the Rockies, who opened their nine-game homestand in dramatic fashion.

Mike Stanton and John Buck hit two-run homers for the Marlins, who have lost 10 of their last 11.

In his second start with the Rockies since being signed last week, Kevin Millwood allowed four runs on seven hits over six innings.

Marlins starter Clay Hensley surrendered three runs on eight hits over 5 2/3 frames.

Tulowitzki gave the Rockies a 3-2 lead in the third. Eric Young Jr. began the frame with a leadoff bunt single. After fly outs by Fowler and Gonzalez, Tulowitzki belted a 2-2 curveball over the fence in left.

"You don't hang high breaking balls to Tulowitzki when you got two strikes on him," said McKeon. "Throw it in the dirt."

The advantage was short-lived, however, as Buck followed a Gaby Sanchez double with a homer to right in the top of the fourth.

The Rockies wasted a one-out double by Chris Nelson in the fourth.

In the fifth, Fowler tripled with one out, but Gonzalez popped out and Tulowitzki went down on strikes.

In the sixth, the Rockies placed runners at second and third with two out, marking the end of Hensley's day. Michael Dunn entered and struck out Seth Smith, who was pinch-hitting for Millwood.

A Ty Wigginton strikeout left runners at first and second in the eighth, but the Rockies finally broke through an inning later.

With two down, Fowler flared a ball into shallow center. He aggressively rounded first, paused, then advanced to second when Marlins center fielder Dewayne Wise threw behind him. Gonzalez followed with the game-tying double and Nunez left after intentionally walking Tulowitzki.

Giambi turned on a 1-2 slider from Choate and deposited it into the stands in right, marking the Rockies' first walkoff home run of the year.

"That's a tremendous at bat against a left-hander with a very, very tough slot for a left-on-left situation and he stayed right in there," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy.

In the top of the first, Stanton followed a Bryan Petersen triple with a deep blast to left-center.

In the home second, singles by Tulowitzki, Giambi and Nelson loaded the bases with one down. Jonathan Herrera grounded into a force out to push Tulowitzki across.

Game Notes

The Rockies notched their third walkoff win of the season...Marlins reliever Edward Mujica left in the eighth inning with a lat strain...McKeon, 80, has a career major league record of 1,035-965. He guided the Marlins to a World Series championship in 2003...Millwood was signed by the Rockies to a minor league contract on August 8, after being released by the Red Sox the previous day.