Aaron Schunk hit his first major league home run and also singled, Nolan Jones had two hits, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 in Denver on Wednesday night.
Drew Romo also had two hits and Kyle Freeland (4-6) allowed two runs over six innings to earn his first victory since July 31 for Colorado. The Rockies have won two of the first three games between the teams and can win the series on Thursday afternoon.
Derek Hill homered and Otto Lopez had two hits for Miami, which committed four errors. Starter Max Meyer (3-4) allowed five runs (four earned) and struck out six in five-plus innings.
The score was tied when Schunk’s solo homer in the fifth put Colorado ahead 3-2, and the Rockies then stretched it in the sixth. Brenton Doyle led off with a single and Michael Toglia walked. One out later, Jones followed with an RBI single off reliever Kent Emanuel.
With runners on second and third, Romo hit a sharp grounder to Lopez at shortstop but he threw wildly to home and Toglia and Jones scored to make it 6-2.
Colorado put it away in the eighth inning. Jones walked, Romo singled and Ezequiel Tovar drove in both with a two-out double. Colorado was able to hold on a night after blowing a four-run lead in the ninth inning.
The Marlins took the early lead on Hill’s solo homer in the second, his fifth of the season, but the Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning. Doyle walked, moved to second on a groundout and scored on a single by Jones.
Colorado took the lead in the third with an assist from Miami. Romo led off with a single and advanced to second when center fielder Cristian Pache misplayed it for an error. Romo scored when Meyer’s pickoff attempt went into the outfield.
The Marlins answered in the third. Jonah Bride had a leadoff single, Lopez drew a two-out walk and Griffin Conine drove in Bride with a single.
–Field Level Media
