| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
|
GAME LOG
DENVER (AP) -- Jeffrey Hammonds wasn't about to let the Colorado
Rockies be snake-bitten.
Hammonds hit two home runs, including a solo homer that helped
the Rockies quash Arizona's comeback hopes, as Colorado beat the
Diamondbacks 14-5 on Saturday night.
The Diamondbacks nearly erased a seven-run deficit before
Hammonds led off the seventh with his 13th home run of the season.
Mike Lansing and Todd Helton each homered in the eighth to help the
Rockies pull away.
"That's a little bit of a momentum shift right there,"
Colorado third baseman Jeff Cirillo said. "We're like, `Oh boy.
Put the chin strap on. This game isn't over yet.' Then Hammonds
hits the home run and it's a sigh of relief."
The victory moved the Rockies within one game of first-place
Arizona in the NL West. It's the closest Colorado has been to the
top spot this late in the season since June 11, 1997.
"I'd rather be where we're at right now than where a couple
other teams are," Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. "We deserve to
be where we're at."
Brian Bohanon (3-4) pitched into the seventh inning and Cirillo
and Mike Lansing each had three hits and two RBIs for the Rockies.
They have won 19 of 23 at Coors Field and improved to a major
league-best 24-8 at home.
"They have a lot of good things happening for them right now,"
Arizona manager Buck Showalter said. "They've been playing great
and we've been having some trouble with our offense. Any time you
score five runs in a ballpark like this, it won't be enough."
While Colorado's hitters had no problem against Brian Anderson
(6-2), Bohanon stifled Arizona for the first five innings before
leaving to a standing ovation in the seventh.
"Everything started working and it's just a good feeling,
especially with that crowd tonight," Bohanon said. "That's the
most I've heard from a crowd since the Yankees-Mets when I was
there. It was amazing."
Staked to a 7-0 lead, Bohanon gave up a two-run homer to Tony
Womack in the sixth and left with one out in the seventh after
singles by Matt Williams and Greg Colbrunn.
Stan Belinda relieved and induced a grounder by Danny Bautista,
but Rockies shortstop Neifi Perez kicked it for an error to load
the bases. Damian Miller followed with a three-run double to cut
the lead to 7-5.
"We felt good at the time," Miller said. "At the time it was
big because we cut the gap to two runs, and we just couldn't hold
them."
Hammonds, who hit a two-run homer off Anderson in the fifth, has
10 career multihomer game and his three this season.
"We put the pressure on them early and we just kept it going,"
Hammonds said. "We started feeling the emotion and it got a little
contagious out there."
The Rockies pulled away in the eighth when Lansing hit a two-run
homer and Helton had a three-run shot off Matt Mantei. Colorado had
a franchise-record 11 extra-base hits.
Banished to the bullpen earlier in the year, Bohanon gave up
four runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings. Anderson surrendered
seven runs and nine hits in 4 1-3 innings.
"Lately, I'm cringing every time a ball goes between the white
lines," Anderson said. "I know they have a chance to go in."
The Rockies led 3-0 after three and chased Anderson with four
runs in the fifth.
Cirillo, 10-for-19 against Anderson, had an RBI double and
scored on Helton's run-scoring single. Hammonds followed with a
422-foot homer onto the left-field concourse.
Game notes
Because of Friday's rainout, the Diamondbacks will play 18
games over the final 17 days of the season, including 11 on the
road. ... Before the game, the Rockies acquired C Adam Melhuse from
Los Angeles for a player to be named later and cash. Melhuse was
expected to be added to the 25-man major league roster Sunday with
INF Aaron Ledesma the likely candidate to be replaced. ... The
Diamondbacks had won 17 straight games when Anderson started but
are 2-3 in his last five starts. ... Hammonds extended his hitting
streak to 15 games. ... Womack has hit in 10 straight.
| |
ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Arizona Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
RECAPS
Detroit 8
Cleveland 6
Texas 5
Tampa Bay 0
Chi. White Sox 10
NY Yankees 9
Toronto 11
Boston 10
Anaheim 8
Baltimore 3
Seattle 12
Minnesota 3
Oakland 10
Kansas City 4
Chicago Cubs 1
Montreal 0
San Francisco 6
Houston 4
St. Louis 4
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 3
Cincinnati 1
Florida 4
Pittsburgh 3
Philadelphia 9
Atlanta 3
Colorado 14
Arizona 5
Milwaukee 3
NY Mets 2
|