Ross Helps Marlins Avoid Four-Game Sweep
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Denver, CO -- (Sports Network) - Cody Ross went 3-for-5, homered and drove in five runs as the Florida Marlins avoided a four-game sweep at the hands of the Colorado Rockies with a 10-5 win at Coors Field.Ross finished off a series in which he drove in 15 runs for the Marlins, who won for just the second time in their last six games. Mike Jacobs and Wes Helms each knocked in a pair of runs, while Hanley Ramirez -- who was named the National League's starting shortstop for the All-Star Game on Sunday -- went 2-for-5 and scored a run. "It's just one of those things," Ross said. "When you're hot, you're hot, and when you're cold, you're cold. I've been cold this year at the beginning of the season, and now I'm starting to turn it around. I'm just trying to help the team win." Marlins second baseman Dan Uggla, who sat while nursing a sprained left ankle, was also named to the All-Star team. Chris Volstad (1-0), who was called up from Double-A Carolina before the game, tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Mark Hendrickson in his big league debut and earned the win. Hendrickson was touched for four runs on six hits in four innings. "Couldn't really draw it up any better than that," Volstad said. Ryan Spilborghs drove in two runs and Brad Hawpe homered for the Rockies, who had five-game win streak snapped. NL All-Star Matt Holliday went 2-for-5, while fellow All-Star Aaron Cook (11-6) was tagged for seven runs on 11 hits in 7 1/3 frames. Down a run in the sixth, Ross continued his huge series by delivering the lead for Florida. Helms singled, and after Jacobs' double moved him to third, Ross slapped a single into right to plate both runners for a 5-4 lead. Ross tacked on two more insurance runs for Florida in the eighth. With Mike Jacobs on first with one out, Ross yanked a first-pitch sinker from Cook down the line in left and just over the wall to give the Marlins a 7-4 lead and finally chase Cook from the game, The Rockies pulled back a run against Renyel Pinto in the home half, as Omar Quintanilla worked a leadoff walk, moved to third on a single by Willy Taveras and scored when Pinto uncorked a wild pitch. But, the Marlins added three more insurance runs in the ninth on a sac fly from Helms, a Jacobs RBI single and a run-scoring double by Ross. Kevin Gregg worked a scoreless ninth to finish off the win. Florida struck in the second, as Jacobs worked a leadoff walk, moved to third on Luis Gonzalez's one-out double and scored when Paul Hoover grounded out to short. Colorado answered in the home half, as Hawpe tied the game with a one- out homer to right. Gonzalez's double was the 584th of his career, passing Robin Yount for 16th on the all-time list. The Marlins moved right back into the lead in the third, as after loading the bases with nobody out, Helms brought in a run with a sacrifice fly and Jacobs knocked in another with a force out. Colorado fought back to take the lead in the fourth. Jeff Baker drew a leadoff walk and Hawpe followed with a single, and after Hendrickson retired the next two batters, Cook helped his own cause with an RBI double to left. Spilborghs then dumped a soft single into center to plate Hawpe and Cook with the go- ahead runs, but Spilborghs was thrown out trying to reach second to end the inning. Game Notes For the series, Ross went 12-for-20 with four doubles and two homers in addition to his 15 RBI...The teams combined for 79 runs over the four-game series...Cook's double was his first of the season, and he knocked in his fourth run of the year...The Marlins continue their 10-game West Coast trip on Monday with the first of three in San Diego...The Rockies head out on a seven-game road trip on Monday, starting with the opener of a three-game set at Milwaukee.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.












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