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Holliday, four homers power Rockies past Marlins

Jul 6, 2008 - 5:06 AM By Brady Delander PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

DENVER (Ticker) -- Matt Holliday hit his third home run in two games as the Colorado Rockies remained scorching hot offensively, running away with a 12-6 victory over the Florida Marlins on Saturday night.

The Rockies won their fifth straight game and have pelted the Marlins for 11 homers and 35 runs over three games at Coors Field.

Colorado, which is only six games out of first place in the National League West despite its 37-51 record, will close out the four-game set with Florida on Sunday.

"We don't need to get caught up in what is going to happen in a week or 10 days from now, because we're not any good when we do that," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "But we are swinging the bats the way we thought we would. It was bound to happen."

One night after a jaw-dropping, 18-17 victory on Independence Day, where the Rockies hit six homers to help rally from a franchise record nine-run deficit, Holliday, Joe Koshansky, Chris Iannetta and Brad Hawpe all went deep.

"Everybody's feeding off each other and having fun," Hawpe said. "It's contagious.

"It's funny how hitting works. I think it's just the positive energy. Everybody tries to go up there and match what the other guy's done. It's a lot more fun getting hits and scoring runs than when we're not."

Ryan Spilborghs also contributed with two doubles and three runs scored.

After Koshansky hit his first career homer off fellow rookie Ryan Tucker (2-3) in the second to give Colorado a 2-0 lead, Iannetta drilled a two-run shot with no outs in the fourth for a four-run advantage. Later in the frame, Holliday hit a three-run homer to increase the lead to eight.

"When I feel good, I think I can drive most pitches," Holliday said. "This is as good as I've felt about my swing this year. This is as consistent as I've been."

The homers by Iannetta and Holliday were their ninth and 13th, respectively. Koshansky's blast came after the Pacific Coast League All-Star was called up from Class AAA to replace the injured Todd Helton.

After his homer, Koshansky was met by silence in the Rockies dugout, a little practical joke for the newcomer.

"Guys were sitting on the bench like nothing happened," Koshansky said. "Everyone just sat there for a second, then came over and congratulated me. I got a laugh out of it."

Tucker surrendered eight runs, seven hits and three walks in four innings.

Jorge De La Rosa (3-4) pitched five scoreless innings to earn the win, but lost his touch in the sixth. He allowed a walk and a base hit before surrendering an RBI double to Cody Ross to end his night.

Run-scoring singles by Matt Treanor and Robert Andino in the frame cut the Marlins' deficit to 8-3, but Hawpe launched a three-run blast off reliever Joe Nelson in the bottom of the sixth to give Colorado an 11-3 advantage.

"These last few games in a series like this, you feel like you can come back no matter what," Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "But those guys in the other dugout are hotter than a firecracker right now."

Ross, who finished a triple shy of the cycle, hit a three-run homer in the seventh off Glendon Rusch for Florida, which has dropped three straight.