DENVER — Jesús Sánchez hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run rally in the ninth inning that gave the Miami Marlins an improbable 9-8 comeback victory against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday night.
In a matchup between the National League’s two worst teams, the Marlins trailed 6-0 early and were down by four entering the ninth. But they got a two-run double from Jake Burger before Sánchez followed with his 17th homer off Angel Chivili.
“I was just thinking about the 97, that 97 (mph) fastball,” Sánchez said through a translator. “I was just waiting for it, then I reacted when I saw the changeup and connected with it. When I saw the ball in the air, I just started celebrating with my whole team.”
Burger said Marlins pitcher Valente Bellozo actually called Sánchez’s homer.
“He said, ‘Changeup and he’s gonna hit a three-run home run here,’” Burger recounted.
It was the largest deficit Miami has overcome this season, besting the five-run hole it climbed out of in an April 30 win, which also came against the Rockies.
Entering the night, the Marlins had been 5-76 when trailing after eight innings, while Colorado had been 41-8 when leading after eight. It was the Rockies’ largest blown lead of the year.
“In this game, nothing’s predictable,” Colorado manager Bud Black said.
Kyle Stowers hit his second home run and first triple of the season for Miami. Griffin Conine, the son of longtime Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine, had his first two career hits, a triple and a double, one day after making his major league debut.
“We’re resilient,” Burger said. “There’s a lot of guys out here who are trying to prove themselves at this level, going out there and taking really good at-bats. … It’s a lot of young guys, but a lot of guys that have a lot of talent.”
George Soriano (1-1) earned the win by pitching a scoreless eighth. Chivili (1-2) took the loss and was handed his second blown save.
Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley was charged with four of the Marlins’ five runs in the ninth.
“I feel like I threw a lot of good sliders down in the zone last night that they all swung at and tonight, they laid off of them,” Kinley said. “A couple of the fastballs we went to, they were just on it. We don’t know … maybe I was giving those away, maybe I was doing something.”
Calvin Faucher struck out all three batters he faced for his fourth save.
Ezequiel Tovar had four RBIs and three extra-base hits for Colorado, including his 20th and 21st home runs of the season. It was Tovar’s 14th game this season with at least three hits.
Charlie Blackmon and Jacob Stallings finished with two hits apiece for the Rockies, who got at least one hit from each player in their lineup.
Blackmon and Sam Hilliard each hit a solo home run. Blackmon’s leadoff shot in the first inning was his 133rd homer at Coors Field, breaking a tie with Vinny Castilla for the most by a Colorado player in the ballpark’s 29-year history.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Marlins: INF Tristan Gray was claimed off waivers by the Oakland Athletics. Gray was designated for assignment Sunday after appearing in seven games for Miami this season.
Rockies: OF Brenton Doyle (knee inflammation) was not in the starting lineup for a second consecutive game. Hilliard started in center field in place of Doyle, who leads the team with 21 home runs and 63 RBIs.
UP NEXT
Miami RHP Max Meyer (3-3, 5.44 ERA) faces Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland (3-6, 5.70) on Wednesday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
