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Saturday, Apr. 8 7:05pm ET
Error opens door for Rockies | |||||
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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
MIAMI (AP) -- Colorado was looking at another tough loss until Florida shortstop Alex Gonzalez opened the door to a Rockies win. Gonzalez's eighth-inning error allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score as the Rockies beat the Marlins 4-2 on Saturday night. "You know I'm not one to criticize players," Marlins manager John Boles said. "He makes that play, in my opinion, 100 times out of 100. Tonight, it wasn't made." Marlins starter Alex Fernandez (1-1) had been cruising with a 2-1 lead when the trouble started. With one out, Brent Mayne singled. Pinch-runner Brian Hunter advanced to third on a single by pinch-hitter Aaron Ledesma. After Tom Goodwin's infield single loaded the bases, Mike Lansing hit a hard grounder that appeared to be an inning-ending double play. Instead the ball skipped under Gonzalez's glove into center field, allowing two runs to score. "I'm furious because that was exactly the pitch I wanted to make," Fernandez said. "But next time I won't put myself in that situation. But that's baseball." After an intentional walk to Larry Walker loaded the bases, Vic Darensbourg replaced Fernandez, and walked Todd Helton to give the Rockies a 4-2 lead. "It feels great to come back. Our last five games have all been pressure cookers that could have gone either way," Rockies manager Buddy Bell said. "We all want to get off to a good start and we didn't want to go home 1-5. Tomorrow is a big game for us to go back home 3-3." Lansing did not see Gonzalez's error, but was happy about the come-from-behind win. "That shows the character of this team," he said. "We've been in every game we played. I hit the ball hard and was busting hard to first. It's so early, but this is a confidence builder. It is good for us." Jose Jimenez (1-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the win. David Lee pitched the ninth for his first career save. "I was a little nervous, but it felt good to get the first one," Lee said. "I was really nervous in warmups, but when I faced the first batter, I was OK." Helton, who went 3-for-3, helped give the Rockies an early 1-0 lead in the second inning when he hit a leadoff triple and scored on Darren Bragg's sacrifice fly. The Marlins tied the score in the bottom half on Mike Lowell's first home run of the season. The Marlins took a 2-1 when Luis Castillo singled to lead off the third. Two outs later, Castillo stole second and scored on Preston Wilson's run-scoring single. Wilson has hit safely in all six games this season and is 7-for-23 (.304) with six RBI. Scott Karl, acquired in the offseason from Milwaukee, allowed two runs and seven hits in six innings in his first start for Colorado. "I felt good and threw a lot of strikes and moved the ball around," Karl said. "Lowell hit a good pitch and I take my hat off to him. They just manufactured that second run." Fernandez allowed four runs -- three earned -- in 7 1/3 innings. "Alex pitched great and should have won the game," Boles said. "He should have gone into the ninth inning with a 2-1 lead. I'm not frustrated. I'm angry. We had a double-play grounder that we didn't get." Game notesColorado utility man Terry Shumpert started at third base in place of Jeff Cirillo, who has a sore left thumb suffered Friday and is day-to-day. Shumpert, who went 0-for-4, played 14 games at 3B last year for the Rockies. ... Marlins catcher Mike Redmond, who has four hits, including a home run, in nine lifetime at-bats against Karl, got the start over Sandy Martinez. Redmond went 0-for-2 with a walk. ... OF Mark Smith started in left field in place of Cliff Floyd, who has a sore left groin. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Colorado Clubhouse Florida Clubhouse RECAPS Baltimore 2 Detroit 1
Colorado 4
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