Spilborghs pushes Rockies past Twins
Posted: Sat May 17 11:06 PM
Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Ryan Spilborghs drove in the winning run with a pinch-hit single in the eighth, and the Colorado Rockies overcame five perfect innings from Livan Hernandez to pull out a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in the middle contest of a three-game interleague set at Coors Field.
Jeff Baker doubled twice and scored two runs for the Rockies, who snapped a six-game losing streak. Willy Taveras went 2-for-4 and knocked in a run, while Garrett Atkins added a sacrifice fly.
Matt Herges (2-0) allowed two runs on three hits in two innings, but earned the win in relief of Greg Reynolds, who shut out the Twins over six innings of three-hit ball in his second major league start. Brian Fuentes worked out of trouble in the ninth for his fifth save.
"That was as nervous as we've been at the end of a game in a long time," Spilborghs said. "Obviously, we knew we'd lost six in a row, so there was a lot of emotion riding, and that was a big win for us."
Delmon Young went 2-for-4 and scored a run for the Twins, losers in four of their last five. Brendan Harris and Hernandez each drove in a run, and Hernandez (6-2) retired the first 15 hitters he faced, but took the loss after being charged with three runs on eight hits in 7 1/3 frames.
"Livan threw the ball fantastic," said Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. "It was something this ballclub needed. We need someone to go deep into the game, and help our guys in the bullpen. He really gave us a chance to win a ballgame."
Tied 2-2, Baker contributed the Rockies third straight leadoff double in the home eighth, and was bunted to third by Yorvit Torrealba. Spilborghs then delivered with a pinch- single through the drawn-in infield and into center to plate Baker with the go-ahead run. An infield single by Taveras and a single to right from Clint Barmes loaded the bases and ended Hernandez's outing.
Brian Bass came on in relief and got Matt Holliday to ground into a force out at the plate, then got Todd Helton on a grounder to short to escape the jam.
Young led off the ninth with a single off Fuentes, and moved to second on Adam Everett's sacrifice bunt. Pinch-hitter Mike Redmond flew out to right, but Fuentes walked Harris after a nine-pitch battle to put the go-ahead run on base. Mike Lamb worked a full count, but fanned on a high fastball to end the game.
"I'm not going to lie," Fuentes said. "The guys that faced me tonight just battled me to the end. I kept throwing good pitches, and they kept fouling them off. Fortunately, we got out of it."
After being flummoxed by Hernandez -- who did not record a strikeout -- through five innings, the Rockies finally began to chip away.
Baker broke up the bid for perfection in the bottom of the sixth, when his fly ball just evaded the reach of a sliding Young and fell for a double. Torrealba moved Baker to third with a bunt, and after pinch-hitter Scott Podsednik grounded out, Taveras lined a single into right to plate the game's first run.
With Herges on for Reynolds in the seventh, the Minnesota offense finally broke through. Young blooped a single into right to lead off, and Everett followed with a double to right that moved Young to third. Hernandez followed with a perfect squeeze bunt that allowed Young to plate the tying run, then Harris put the Twins on top with a ground single to left.
Holliday doubled off Lamb's glove and into left to lead off the bottom half, and after Helton's single moved Holliday to third, Atkins drove in the tying run with a fly ball to right. Game Notes
When Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the sixth, it was the first time they were in front in 59 innings...The Rockies were 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position, while the Twins were just 1-for-7...The Rockies did not strike out or draw a walk in the game...Struggling Rockies lefty Jeff Francis (0-4) opposes Kevin Slowey (0-3) in the series finale on Sunday...Attendance was 43,149.