Phelps gives up nine runs
DENVER — Once the weather cleared, the Colorado Rockies broke loose.
Wilin Rosario homered twice and Carlos Gonzalez hit a three-run shot to back the solid pitching of Chris Rusin, and the Rockies shrugged off another rain delay at Coors Field to beat the Miami Marlins 10-5 Saturday.
“Jumping right out of the gate, it was important,” Gonzalez said. “This is how this team is built, and we know we can produce a lot of runs when everybody is doing their part. The good thing is Tulo (Troy Tulowitzki), myself, we’re showing some life. We’re getting good at-bats and we’re starting to produce again, and that’s really good for the Rockies.”
Thunder showers delayed the game’s start for 71 minutes, the 13th time this season a game in Denver has been postponed or delayed by weather. Colorado has had a total of 15 hours, 40 minutes, of rain delays at home this season.
But the rain clouds gave way to mostly sunny skies and once the grounds crew cleared away the water on the field, the Rockies came out swinging. They put together a four-run inning in the first and a five-run inning in the fourth, when Rosario and Gonzalez teamed up to hit the first back-toback home runs by the Rockies this season.
In all, the Rockies collected a season-high 17 hits and scored in the double digits for the third time this season, all on a day when Tulowitzki was given the day off.
“It’s nice when they provide runs for you [early] because you know you just have to go out there and attack the zone, put the pressure on them,” Rusin said.
Rusin (2-0), claimed off waivers from the Chicago Cubs last September, allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings in winning for the first time in his last 10 starts dating to Aug. 14, 2013.
His first win with the Rockies came in an emer-
gency relief role on May 31, when he stepped in for injured Jordan Lyles (left toe sprain) to beat Philadelphia.
Rusin struck out a careerhigh eight, fanning Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton four times, the first pitcher to do so. Stanton had homered in each of his previous three games before going 1 for 5 Saturday with a double.
“He mixed his pitches and changed speeds. He made it tough on us,” said the Marlins’ Dee Gordon, who doubled to lead off the game but was thrown out trying for third.
David Phelps (2-3) trailed 2-0 before getting his first out as the first three batters he faced each hit safely, capped by a two-run triple by Nolan Arenado. Rosario added an RBI single and Michael McKenry a run-scoring triple to put the Rockies up 4-0.
Phelps allowed nine runs on 11 hits in 3 2⁄ innings.
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“There were a lot of pitches that were elevated,” Marlins manager Dan Jennings said. “And this is not a good ballpark to do that in. You can’t miss up here.”
The Marlins got a run back in the second on Adeiny Hechavarria’s RBI single but an inning later, Rosario drove a 1-1 offering from Phelps over the center field wall for his first homer.
With two out and two on in the fourth, Gonzalez drove the first pitch he saw into the stand of evergreen trees beyond the center field fence, finishing Phelps.
Rosario greeted reliever Andre Rienzo with a drive into the left field bleachers for the second multi-homer game of his career. His first came May 12, 2012, against Atlanta.
Trailing 10-2, the Marlins scored three runs in the ninth on five hits against Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt. Trainer’s Room Marlins: RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo) threw 81 pitches over five innings in an extended spring training game Saturday, allowing six runs (four earned). He struck out five and walked three. … Reliever Bryan Morris left the game in the sixth inning with a low back strain. He is day to day.