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Walk-off hit by Iannetta lifts Rockies to comeback win

Jul 5, 2008 - 5:23 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Matt Holliday and Ryan Spilborghs each hit two home runs, Garrett Atkins collected five hits - including the game-tying RBI single in the ninth inning - and Chris Iannetta delivered the walk-off base hit as the Colorado Rockies rallied from a nine-run deficit to beat the Florida Marlins, 18-17, on Friday.

In the second-highest scoring game in Coors Field history, the Rockies opened the ninth with three straight singles and benefited from Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez's error on a potential double-play ball to set the table for Iannetta.

Iannetta, who hit a three-run homer in the fifth, slapped a grounder off Florida closer Kevin Gregg (6-4) between third baseman Wes Helms and Ramirez, scoring Holliday from third and completing the biggest comeback in franchise history.

"When you are in a game like that, you never know what's going to happen, but you know you have a chance to win no matter what," Iannetta said. "It was a crazy game. To win a game like that, when neither team could pitch and both sides give up that many hits, it was great to come out on top."

Holliday hit his third career grand slam, and Spilborghs and Clint Barmes both finished with four hits for Colorado, which has won four straight games.

"This is incredible. I mean, this really was," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "From an offensive standpoint, they just kept coming back in the dugout, grabbing bats and feeling fresh. This was by far and away the most fun I've had watching our team swing the bat in a long, long time. Maybe ever. It was just a weird night."

Jorge Cantu and Mike Jacobs each had four hits and Cody Ross added three and five RBI for the Marlins, who had 22 hits and led the entire way until Iannetta's heroics. Ramirez had a home run among his three hits, Cantu scored four runs and Matt Treanor belted a three-run homer.

Taylor Buchholz (3-2) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the win.

The scoring barrage started on the first pitch of the game as Ramirez cranked a leadoff homer off Rockies starter Greg Reynolds, who was tagged for seven runs and seven hits while recording just four outs.

"I don't know if the humidor was broken, but when it gets up to 90 degrees and there's no wind, the ball is going to travel," Atkins said. "It was a good night to hit, obviously. It was a fun game to hit. It wasn't a fun game to play defense."

It appeared as if Florida ended any of Colorado's hopes of a comeback with a six-run fourth as Ross hit a three-run double and Alfredo Amezaga and Ramirez each delivered RBI doubles to make it 13-4.

But the Rockies' offense exploded, hitting six home runs over the next four innings. Spilborghs hit his first of the night in the fourth and Holliday opened the fifth with his initial blast.

Iannetta capped that inning with a three-run shot to put Colorado within striking distance.

Marlins starter Scott Olsen left after five innings, having given up nine runs - eight earned - and 11 hits.

"I've never been a part of anything like this before, so I don't exactly know what happened, but I know it was not a night for the pitchers," Olsen said. "It was just a bad day for everybody, except the offense."

The bullpen did not help as Spilborghs launched another homer to start the sixth and Atkins made it a one-run game, 13-12, with a two-run shot before Florida escaped the inning.

"We used everyone and we were pulling people out of the stands (to pitch)," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said jokingly. "It was one of those things. We couldn't get outs and they couldn't either."

Ross and Luis Gonzalez gave Florida another cushion during a four-run seventh, with each delivering a two-run single. Colorado, however, loaded the bases with none out in the bottom half for Holliday, whose grand slam narrowed the deficit to 17-16.

"I've never felt so good after a game where we gave up 17 runs," Holliday said.