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Burrell's big hit in ninth lifts Phillies past Rockies

Apr 23, 2008 - 6:13 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) - Pat Burrell had the final word in a back-and-forth battle between the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies, connecting for a three-run double off closer Manny Corpas in the ninth inning.

The teams combined for 11 extra-base hits, including three home runs, and Burrell's late swing turned the game in favor of the Phillies, 8-6, Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Batting with one out and the bases loaded, Burrell headed to the plate after Colorado issued an intentional walk to Ryan Howard. Burrell took advantage.

"In that situation with a sinker ball pitcher, I was trying to hit something I could elevate," Burrell said. "A groundball is not good. Probably would have ended up being a double play,"

It ended up a game-winner instead.

"I got confidence in Burrell, man," Philadelphia manager Charlie Manuel said. "I've had him going on my fourth year and stuck with him through thick and thin. I've always been one of Burrell's biggest boosters. He can hit, and hit in the clutch too."

Both starters, Brett Myers for Philadelphia and Jeff Francis for the Rockies, pitched deep into the game and watched as leads came and went. But the Rockies' bullpen faltered for the third-straight game.

Philadelphia (11-10) took an early lead when hot-hitting Chase Utley jumped on a Francis fastball for a two-run double to the wall in left-center field. Though Utley would have a role in the go-ahead runs, his streak of home runs in consecutive games ended at five.

Colorado (9-11) tied the score, 3-3, in the fourth inning. Brad Hawpe opened the inning with his first triple of the season and was brought home on an infield single from Jeff Baker. Francis kept the inning alive with a sacrifice bunt, and Willy Taveras took advantage with a double to score Baker.

The Rockies took the lead in the fifth off a solo home run by Matt Holliday, but it wouldn't last.

Francis struggled with his control at points, walking the pitcher Myers before walking in a run in the fourth inning.

"The walks were a little problematic," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "We're getting in our own way way too often. We are all aware of that. We are not playing the kind of baseball we need to, across the board, clean enough."

Francis was accurate in the seventh, however, but too much so as he delivered a fat fastball right over the plate that Jayson Werth sent out of the park, tying the score 4-4.

Myers worked his way through seven innings, as did Francis, but he walked Holliday with one out in the seventh before giving up a home run to Garrett Atkins on his 100th pitch of the game. Myers gave up all six Colorado runs on 11 hits.

Once again, it was Colorado's bullpen that let a win slip away. Matt Herges pitched the eighth inning and gave up a run but not the lead. He left that for Corpas (0-1), who gave up a lead-off single to So Taguchi and another single to Utley before Burrell's big swing.

In a scene straight out of the movie "Major League," Howard nearly lapped Utley on the way to home.

"I saw chase take off quick and start to come back," Howard said. "I was yelling, 'Go, go, go.'"

Philadelphia's Brad Lidge closed out the game by striking out two and forcing Holliday to fly out. Ryan Madson (1-0) earned the win.