LDN - Sports

Reynolds, homer-happy Rockies outslug Marlins

[June 21, 2016] MIAMI -- They say one is the loneliest number, but that was not the case for the Colorado Rockies on Monday night at Marlins Park.

In a game that featured eight home runs -- all of them solo shots -- Mark Reynolds hit the go-ahead homer in the sixth inning to lead Colorado to a 5-3 win over the Miami Marlins.

The eight solo homers accounted for all of the game's runs, setting a major-league record. The previous record was five.

"I've never seen anything like that, and I guess nobody else has either since it's a major-league record," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "I don't know how to explain it, especially in this (park) that plays so big at times.

"Eight solo home runs -- I'd have lost that bet."

Reynolds' go-ahead homer was his second long ball of the game, and it came off reliever Brian Ellington (1-1), snapping a streak of 15 straight scoreless innings by Miami's bullpen. Miami relievers allowed just two hits in that span.

With the win, the Rockies (33-36) avoided what would have been Miami's first four-game sweep over Colorado since 1996. The Marlins (37-33) have never had a four-game sweep since moving into this stadium in 2012.

Miami center fielder Marcell Ozuna joined Reynolds with two homers on Monday. Ozuna has 15 homers this season, including three in two games. This was the first multi-homer game of his career.

Also hitting a homer was Miami's Giancarlo Stanton, who hadn't gone deep since May 24. He has averaged 32 homers over the past five years but has slumped this season. He is hitting .216 with 13 homers.

Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa (4-4), who was dropped from the rotation earlier this year after his ERA ballooned to 11.41, got the win by allowing three homers in six innings. His ERA is down to 7.17.

"I am mixing my pitches better," De La Rosa said, "and I'm getting better results."

Miami right-hander Paul Clemens made his Marlins debut, allowing three homers in five innings and escaping with a no-decision.

Early in the game, Clemens had blood on his right hand, which, he said "happens quite a bit" to him because of the way he grips his curve ball.

But that wasn't his only issue.

"I could tell my fastball velocity was down significantly tonight," said Clemens, who made his first major-league start since Sept. 28, 2013. "My changeup was my second best pitch, which is rare. Usually, the curve is my second best."

Marlins manager Don Mattingly picked up on the problems with Clemens, who is 0-3 in six big-league starts.

"From the numbers we saw from the minor leagues, he usually has more velocity," Mattingly said. "But it wasn't there tonight."

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What was there were the homers, especially early. From the bottom of the first to the top of the second, there were five solo homers hit in the span of two outs.

Ozuna and Stanton gave Miami a 2-0 lead in the first. It was the first time this year that the Marlins had homered in consecutive at-bats.

In the second, Colorado's Trevor Story led off with his 18th homer of the season, which leads all major-league rookies. Then, after a groundout, Reynolds and Nick Hundley homered in a span of three pitches to put Colorado up 3-2.

It was the Rockies' seventh back-to-back long balls of the season. It was also the second time this year Colorado has had a three-homer inning.

Ozuna tied the score with a solo homer in the fourth.

The Rockies, though, got the final two homers, by Reynolds in the sixth and Charlie Blackmon in the ninth.

Colorado's Carlos Estevez worked a clean final inning to earn his fourth save of the season. Estevez got Justin Bour to ground into a double play to end the game.

Still, Mattingly was pleased with taking three of four in the series.

"These guys (the Rockies) can hit," Mattingly said. "We held them down for three days. Tonight they broke out a little bit."

NOTES: Despite a winning record, the Marlins are last in the NL and 27th in the majors in attendance (20,389 average). Monday's game drew 18,187. ... Marlins LF Christian Yelich hit just three homers at Marlins Park in his first three seasons but already has four in his home stadium this season. His career high for homers in a season is nine, but he is on pace for 16 this year. ... With RHP Eddie Butler expected to leave the bullpen and join Colorado's rotation this week, the Rockies are left without a long reliever. One possibility is RHP Jordan Lyles, who joined the team on Sunday but was not immediately activated. ... Up next, the Rockies visit the New York Yankees for two games. The Marlins host the Atlanta Braves for two games.

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