Rockies build big early lead, win series win against Marlins

The Colorado Rockies won a rubber game, a rare occurrence this season, and did it with ease. After beating the Marlins in the ninth inning in the first game of the series Monday and making things exciting in the ninth but losing Tuesday, Rockies left nothing to chance as they beat the Marlins 12-5.

Chris Iannetta and Carlos Gonzalez each had four RBI as the Rockies piled on the Marlins early and improved to 4-11 in rubber games overall and 3-5 at home. The Rockies won a series at home for the first time since they took two of three from the Royals on July 1-3.

A five-run first gave Aaron Cook ample wiggle room, and a six-run third gave Cook even wider berth. He pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings. Cook held the Marlins scoreless for seven innings before Jose Lopez led off the eighth with a homer. With two out, Bryan Petersen doubled, and Mike Stanton hit a long two-run homer, his 29th of the season and third in three games.

The Rockies batted around in both the first and third against Ricky Nolasco, who gave up 13 hits and a career-high 11 runs in three innings and whose ERA zoomed from 3.72 to 4.25. Dexter Fowler led off the first with a single, tagged up on Mark Ellis‘ drive to left-center and scored on Gonzalez’s single. Chris Nelson‘s single scored Gonzalez and left the bases loaded for Iannetta.

Center fielder Mike Cameron broke in on Iannetta’s drive, which soared over Cameron’s head for a three-run double. Iannetta singled home the first run in the third. Cook drove in the second when he showed bunt, pulled his bat back and singled. Ellis singled home a run, and Gonzalez hit a three-run homer, his 20th homer of the season, second in two nights and fourth in his past six games.

Matt Reynolds, who threw one pitch to get the final out in the eighth, gave up two runs in the ninth. One was unearned because of right fielder Seth Smith‘s error.

Eric Young Jr., who pinch hit for Gonzalez in the sixth, drove in the final run with a single in the eighth after Fowler led off with a doubled and moved up on Ellis’ fly out.

Other highlights
- The series win was the Rockies’ first since they won two of three at San Diego from July 29-31.

_ When Ellis singled in the third, everyone in the Rockies lineup, including Cook, had a hit. The Rockies had 11 hits through three innings and finished with 13 hits.

_ Cook’s previous longest outing of the season was seven innings at Los Angeles on June 27, which was four starts ago and the last time he won. This was Cook’s longest outing since he pitched eight innings June 26, 2010, at the Los Angeles Angels.

_ Iannetta had not driven in a run since Aug. 6 and had gone 2-for-20 with eight strikeouts since that date.

_ The Rockies have homered in 10 straight games, matching their season-high streak. They also hit home runs in 10 consecutive games from April 5-14 and June 17-27.

_ Nolasco entered the game 3-0, 1.64 (22 earned runs, four earned runs) in three starts at Coors Field. He’s now 3-1, 5.40 (25 innings, 15 earned runs).