Jesus Sanchez hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run ninth inning and the Miami Marlins rallied to beat the Colorado Rockies 9-8 in Denver on Tuesday night.
It marked the second time this season that Miami scored five runs in the ninth against Colorado. The Marlins first did it at home on April 30 to force extra innings, and they went on to win that game 7-6.
This time, they used the late rally to take the lead and stun the Rockies. Miami trailed 8-4 after eight frames but loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth against Colorado reliever Tyler Kinley.
Jake Burger hit a two-run double to center before Angel Chivilli (1-2) took over on the mound for Kinley, and Sanchez hit Chivilli’s first pitch of the night over the right-center-field wall for his three-run shot.
It was Sanchez’s 17th homer of the season, and he finished with two hits and four RBIs. Kyle Stowers also went deep and added a triple and Griffin Conine tripled and doubled in his first career major league start for the Marlins.
George Soriano (1-1) got the win, while Calvin Faucher picked up his fourth save of the year.
The ninth-inning rally by Miami spoiled a big night for Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar, who homered twice, doubled and drove in four runs. Charlie Blackmon and Sam Hilliard also homered, and Jacob Stallings had two hits.
Blackmon opened the home half of the first with his ninth home run of the season and the 42nd leadoff homer of his career, and Tovar followed with his first big fly of the game. Jake Cave and Stallings each drove in a run later in the inning to make it 4-0.
Tovar hit his second homer of the game and 21st of the season in the second off Marlins starter Roddery Munoz, who allowed six runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Sanchez had an RBI double in the third inning off Rockies starter Cal Quantrill, and Stowers led off the fourth with his second homer of the season to get Miami within 6-2.
The Marlins got two more runs in the sixth off Quantrill, who allowed four runs on seven hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings, but Hilliard’s fifth homer of 2024, a solo shot, and Tovar’s sacrifice fly made it 8-4 heading into the seventh.
–Field Level Media