Desmond Leads Playoff-Chasing Rockies Over Marlins 15-9
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DENVER (AP) — Ian Desmond hit a three-run homer as part of a six-run second inning and the playoff-chasing Colorado Rockies beat Miami 15-9 on Wednesday, hours after Major League Baseball approved the sale of the Marlins to an investment group featuring Derek Jeter.
Charlie Blackmon reached 100 RBIs for the Rockies, who with three games left are in prime position to contend for their first postseason berth since 2009. They entered the day with a 1 1/2-game lead over Milwaukee, which played Cincinnati later in the evening. St. Louis trailed by 2½ games heading into its contest against Chicago.
Down 15-5, Miami began the ninth with four straight doubles and later added two more singles. Earlier, MLB approved the Marlins' sale to a group led by Bruce Sherman and Jeter. The former New York Yankees captain plans to be a limited partner in charge of the business and baseball operations.
Jon Gray (10-4) lasted six innings and allowed three runs. The right-hander has now allowed three or fewer runs in 13 straight starts.
Adam Conley (7-8) gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings during the Marlins' final road game of the season. This was his second straight start where he didn't make it out of the second inning.
Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton went 0 for 3 with three strikeouts and remained at a major league-leading 57 homers.
Stanton finished 1 for 12 in the three-game series at Coors Field. He has 20 career homers against Colorado.
The Rockies showed poise at the plate by accumulating nearly as many walks (10) as hits (14). Blackmon contributed three RBI singles in recording his 66th multihit game this season to tie Dante Bichette's 1998 mark for most in franchise history.
Desmond ignited the offense in the second with a homer that barely cleared the wall in right field. It was just Desmond's second homer at Coors this season. He later added an RBI single.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Manager Bud Black insisted OF Gerardo Parra was fine despite missing a second straight game. Parra is 1 for 21 over the last five games. "G.P. is good," Black said.
THIS & THAT
Marlins catcher A.J. Ellis had a two-run homer and an RBI double. ... Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado was intentionally walked twice. ... OF Carlos Gonzalez had three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIs. ... Batting cleanup, SS Trevor Story drove in four runs.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Open four-game series with Atlanta on Thursday to close out the season. LHP Dillon Peters (0-2, 6.31 ERA) has never faced the Braves.
Rockies: Off Thursday before starting a three-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. RHP Chad Bettis (1-4, 5.72 ERA) will take the mound Friday looking for his second win since returning from testicular cancer.
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