National League roundup

[August 25, 2009]  DENVER (AP) -- Two years ago the Colorado Rockies used an incredible September run to reach the playoffs. This time, they're not waiting until the final two weeks of the regular season to make their push.

Ryan Spilborghs hit a grand slam in the bottom of the 14th inning, giving the Rockies a come-from-behind 6-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Monday night.

In 2007 the Rockies had plenty of dramatic wins on their way to the NL pennant, but Spilborghs thinks this team is better than the squad that reached the World Series.

"This is a different team, this a different atmosphere, 2007, that's gone," he said. "That's not even a thought in this clubhouse anymore. This is a totally different animal."

Spilborghs jumped on reliever Merkin Valdez's 96-mph fastball and sent it into the Colorado bullpen to give the Rockies a four-game lead over the Giants in the NL wild-card race.

"When I was running the bases I was trying to get to my teammates as fast as I could," Spilborghs said.

Colorado won the final three games of the four-game series.

"It's a two-game swing," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "They're looking like they're going out of here two back and now they're going home four. That's absolutely huge."

The Giants had taken a 4-1 lead in the top of the 14th on Eugenio Velez's two-run triple and Juan Uribe's groundout.

"I thought I had won the game at the time," Velez said. "I thought we had it won."

Brandon Medders walked Dexter Fowler leading off the bottom half. One out later Justin Miller (2-2) relieved and gave up a one-out single to pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta. He then walked Troy Tulowitzki and Adam Eaton to make it 4-2.

Before he stepped in the batter's box Tracy told Eaton to keep the bat on his shoulder.

"I told him not to swing," Tracy said. "Even if Miller threw three balls down the middle, take the strikeout because I wanted Spilly to get a chance to hit."

Valdez, the Giants' eighth pitcher of the game, came on and Spilborghs homered on a 0-1 pitch.

"No question it was a tough loss," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "You are going to have ups and downs, but this was as tough a loss as you can have."

Eaton (1-0) worked the final two innings to get the win. He gave up three runs and walked five.

The Rockies had chances in the 10th and 11th innings but couldn't come up with the big hit. Spilborghs grounded into a double play to end the 10th and Clint Barmes flew out to center to end the 11th with runners on first and third.

Phillies 6, Mets 2

At New York, Ryan Howard homered twice and drove in five runs, and Cliff Lee won his eighth straight start to lead Philadelphia.

Lee (5-0) did not allow an earned run in seven innings, lowering his ERA with the Phillies to 0.68 in five outings since he was acquired in a July 29 trade with Cleveland. His record is 12-9 overall.

Philadelphia took the final three in a four-game series and won for the 11th time in 13 games overall, increasing its NL East lead to seven games over idle Atlanta.

Bobby Parnell (3-6) made his fourth start for New York after spending the first four months of the season in the bullpen.

Brewers 7, Nationals 1

At Washington, Ryan Braun hit a two-run home run to jump-start a six-run sixth inning, and Milwaukee took three of four from the Nationals after being swept by Pittsburgh.

The Brewers sent 11 batters to the plate in the sixth. Jody Gerut had a two-run single in the inning and also homered in the eighth.

Yovani Gallardo (12-10) gave up one run on four hits and four walks in five innings. He struck out eight.

Nationals starter Collin Balester (1-4) had a career-high six strikeouts in five-plus innings.

[Associated Press]

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