Crazy 8th propels Rockies to victory

DENVER — Pinch hitter Matt Holliday launched his first home run of the season in the seventh inning, Carlos Gonzalez sparked an eight-run eighth with a tiebreaking double and the Rockies beat the Cardinals 9-1 on Saturday in a matchup of National League playoff contenders.

The loss snapped the Cardinals’ nine-game road winning streak. They had won four straight and eight of 10 overall.

Holliday, out of baseball before signing a minor-league contract last month, was called up this week by the Rockies — his original team. His homer broke up a scoreless game and was his first one with the Rockies since 2008.

A seven-time All-Star who also played for the Cardinals before joining the Yankees last season, Holliday swung at a pitch in the dirt before connecting on John Gant’s next offering, driving it deep into the left-field bleachers.

The Cardinals evened the score in the eighth but left two runners stranded. The Rockies then broke loose in the bottom of the inning against the Cardinals bullpen, sending 14 batters to the plate and collecting 10 hits — including five doubles — off four relievers.

Dakota Hudson gave up a leadoff single to DJ LeMahieu and successive RBI doubles to Gonzalez and Nolan Arenado before getting Trevor Story on a groundout. The Rockies then got six straight hits against two relievers, including LeMahieu’s second of the inning, an RBI single. Arenado also had two hits in the inning.

The game began as a pitchers’ duel, with Gant and German Marquez alternating zeros. Marquez went seven scoreless innings for the Rockies, allowing three hits — all singles. He struck out nine and walked one.