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Ninth-inning rally lifts Rockies over Nationals

Aug 25, 2007 - 5:36 AM DENVER (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies scored five runs in the ninth inning for a stunning 6-5 victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday night.

The Nationals were in complete control until it all fell apart in the ninth.

Chad Cordero (2-3) came in to close the game for the Nationals but did not even record an out. The Rockies rattled off four straight hits and a walk before Kaz Matsui plated the game-winning run with two outs, hitting a broken-bat grounder on which shortstop D'Angelo Jimenez was charged with an error.

Rookie Troy Tulowitzki triggered the rally with a leadoff single before Matt Holiday hit his 23rd home run of the season to narrow the deficit to 5-3.

Todd Helton followed with a single and advanced to third on a double by Garrett Atkins. Brad Hawpe then drew a walk to load the bases and chase Cordero from the game.

Yorvit Torrealba came through in the clutch, tying the game with a bloop single to right field off Jon Rauch, plating Helton and pinch runner Jamey Carroll to tie it at 5-5.

"This one means a lot because the Pittsburgh series was very tough," Torrealba said. "To come back and win tonight was definitely huge. I broke my bat, but I tied the game."

After a sacrifice by Corey Sullivan, Ryan Spilborghs grounded to first for the second out of the inning as the runners held at second and third.

Matsui then hit a slow roller up the middle that Jimenez was unable to field cleanly, plating the winning run and helping the Rockies avoid their third straight loss and fourth in five games.

"We were able to get the barrel on some balls late after not being able to do a whole lot through the first eight (innings)," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "This was a very exciting win for us."

"I still have to get three outs. Anything can happen like it did tonight," Cordero said. "Four-run lead in this kind of ballpark, the ball flies and it's not safe. I just wasn't able to get it done."

Brian Fuentes (1-5) picked up the win after pitching a perfect ninth.

Nationals manager Manny Acta gave the Rockies credit for the comeback against Cordero.

"It was surprising because he's our closer. But coming in in the ninth inning and facing the heart of the order, they hit him around," Acta said. "He was up and down the middle, and that's what happens."

Ryan Zimmerman had three hits and three RBI and Shawn Hill pitched seven solid innings, allowing just one run and four hits while striking out five.

"That was a great performance by him, he threw the ball very well against a tough lineup," Acta said of Hill. "It's not wasted, as some people might think. He was able to show us what we think of him and what he's been doing for us."

Zimmerman gave Washington a 2-1 lead in the third inning with his team-leading 20th home run of the season and added a two-run single in the seventh to open a 4-1 advantage. Zimmerman owns a career average of .388 (21-for-54) against the Rockies.

Wily Mo Pena added his third home run with the Nationals in the eighth to make it a 5-1 bulge.

Washington took the lead in the first inning, when Jimenez drew a one-out walk and promptly stole second base. Zimmerman followed with a single to move Jimenez to third and Dmitri Young drove him in with a single.

Colorado came right back in the bottom of the first as Matsui led off with a single and stole his 28th base of the season. Tulowitzki drove in Matsui with an RBI base hit, evening the contest.

Rockies starter Jeff Francis did not have his best stuff but did pitch into the seventh inning. He allowed four runs - two earned - and seven hits, striking out four and walking one.

"It's no secret as to what they're capable of doing, they showed it in the ninth," Francis said. "We just needed an opportunity to keep ourselves in the game, and we know that at any time we can break out the way we did."

Friday marked the fourth time this season the Rockies have rallied from at least a four-run deficit, with all four comebacks taking place at Coors Field.