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Holliday delivers go-ahead run in marathon win

Aug 19, 2007 - 8:15 AM LOS ANGELES (Ticker) -- Matt Holliday was not about to let another gift-wrapped opportunity pass his team by.

Holliday hit the go-ahead single in the 14th inning as the Colorado Rockies posted a 7-4, 14-inning victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

"I definately haven't been hitting well this series, but anytime you can come up with that big hit to help the team get a win then it's worth it," Holliday said.

Holliday, who was 0-for-6 entering the final inning, broke the 4-4 deadlock in the 14th when he singled off Dodgers reliever Roberto Hernandez (0-2) into shallow center to put the Rockies ahead 5-4.

"You know Matt is the type of hitter that won't go through long slumps, and tonight he came up with that big hit we needed," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.

Three batters later, Brad Hawpe collected his fourth hit of the game, lining a two-run single up the middle to plate two insurance runs and extend the lead to 7-4.

"It was just one of those games where we thought it was never going to end," Hawpe said. "They have a good pitching staff and it feels good to string together some hits tonight."

Former Dodger Matt Herges (2-0) pitched two perfect innings in the 12th and 13th for the win. Closer Manny Corpas set down the side in order in the 14th to notch his 11th save in 13 chances for the Rockies, who won the five-hour, six-minute marathon - the second-longest game in franchise history.

"For the team it was a huge win," Herges said. "It's the kind of win when we can look back and say it was our turning point. Felt good to come back here and pitch good."

The Rockies wasted a golden chance to blow the game open in the top of the 11th as they loaded the bases with no outs off Dodger reliever Rudy Seanez.

"We got lucky that our defense was in the right spot at the right time," Dodgers manager Grady Little said. "Raffy (Furcal) made a great play and throw to get us out of that inning."

Troy Tulowitzki doubled to deep left-center to open the frame and moved to third when Geronimo Gil reached on a fielder's choice. Pinch hitter Ryan Spilborghs then drew a walk to load the bases.

However, Colorado could not take advantage when Kaz Matsui struck out swinging and Cory Sullivan grounded into an inning-ending 4-2-5 double play.

This was not the only opportunity the Rockies had to close things out. Colorado took a 4-1 lead in the top of the seventh when Sullivan scored Matsui with an RBI single.

However, Shea Hillenbrand, who only joined the Dodgers on Monday after the team placed regular third baseman Nomar Garciaparra on the disabled list, brought the Dodgers back, finishing with four hits.

"Shea helped us out tonight," Little said. "He contributed in a big way and came up with some big hits."

His RBI single scored Russell Martin in the bottom of the seventh and cut the lead to 4-2. The duo repeated the feat after Olmedo Saenz's RBI double-play groundout in the eighth, when Hillenbrand singled for the third time in the contest to tie the game at 4-4.