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 Instead, the Rockies right-hander returned from a two-month
layoff, pitched into the seventh inning and won for the first time
as Colorado beat the Miami Marlins 7-4 in the rubber game of the
series.
After using all eight members of their bullpen to work eight innings
Saturday night in a 5-4, 13-inning victory, the Rockies desperately
needed Bergman to go deep into the game. Bergman obliged, even
throwing just seven pitches in the sixth inning.
"Having to go to the 'pen at that point would have been very
difficult," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said, "so he did a great
job."
Third baseman Nolan Arenado hit a two-run homer in the first inning,
and two batters later, catcher Michael McKenry added with a solo
shot. The homers came off Brad Hand (2-6), who gave up four runs in
4 1/3 innings and left after he issued a bases-loaded walk to
McKenry in the fifth.
"I gave the opposition a three-run lead in the first inning," Hand
said, "and when I put my team in that situation, it's hard to come
back from."
Second baseman DJ LeMahieu gave the Rockies breathing room with a
bases-loaded double in the seventh that drove in two runs and
finished the scoring.
Bergman (1-2) allowed four runs on nine hits in a career-high 6 1/3
innings. He got 15 outs on balls hit in the air in his first start
for the Rockies since June 20, when he was hit by a line drive that
broke a bone in his left (non-pitching) hand.
"Fastball command was a little off today," said Bergman, who made
his fourth major league start Sunday. "Got a little better as I went
on. Didn't throw a whole lot of changeups, but when I did, they were
good. Was really just a steady diet of fastballs and cutters and
sliders."
Bergman walked two batters in the first but escaped unscathed. He
threw 38 pitches in the first two innings before getting through the
next four on 43 pitches.
"I just had to get a little bit of that extra energy out in the
first inning," Bergman said. "I wouldn't say I was nervous, just
kind of the excitement of being back out there. And once I got that
out, I just kind of settled in and tried to attack the strike zone
and get some quick innings."
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Bergman gave up back-to-back doubles to left fielder Christian
Yelich and second baseman Jeff Baker with one out in the seventh
that cut the Rockies' lead to 5-3. Right fielder Giancarlo Stanton
grounded a single to center that made it a one-run game, ending
Bergman's outing at 97 pitches.
Closer LaTroy Hawkins, the fifth Rockies pitcher, retired the side
in order in the ninth to earn his 20th save in 22 chances.
The Rockies (52-77) finished a 6-3 homestand.
The Marlins (64-65) lost two in a row to fall below .500. They went
9-4 in their previous 13 games.
NOTES: Colorado RF Michael Cuddyer (left hamstring strain) was
placed on the 15-day disabled list to make room on the active roster
for RHP Christian Bergman, who came off the 60-day disabled list to
make his start. To make room on the 40-man roster for Bergman, RF
Carlos Gonzalez, who underwent season-ending surgery Aug. 18 for
left knee tendinitis, was transferred from the 15- to the 60-day DL.
... Rockies C Wilin Rosario (sore left wrist) did not play, but he
hopes to be ready to return Monday. ... On Saturday, Rockies LF
Corey Dickerson hit a game-tying home run in the ninth and a
walk-off single in the 13th. According to the Elias Sports Bureau,
the only other player in Rockies history to hit a game-tying homer
in the ninth followed by a walk-off single was Matt Holliday in
2008. ... Marlins 2B Derek Dietrich (right wrist sprain) will
continue his rehab at Triple-A New Orleans after playing five games
at high Class A Jupiter and going 5-for-16 (.313) with a double,
triple, a home run and two RBIs. ... Marlins RHP Carter Capps (right
elbow sprain) will begin a rehab assignment Monday in the
rookie-level Gulf Coast League.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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