DENVER -- Increased playing time has allowed Rockies outfielder Raimel Tapia to make forward steps. On Saturday night, he made a literal leap.

The Marlins’ Lewis Brinson thought he had a home run to straightaway center field in the fourth inning, but Tapia leaped above the center-field wall 415 feet away to pull it back in the Rockies' 11-4 win.

“It was just reaction,” Tapia said through an interpreter. “But afterward, I went in and looked at the play to make sure I made a good read. There was nothing wrong with it. I did everything right.”

Tapia finished the play seated at the wall. He then calmly raised his gloved right hand to show he had the ball, while Rockies pitcher German Marquez jumped in celebration. Meanwhile, Brinson took off his batting helmet with both hands and spiked it.

It wasn't the first time Brinson was robbed by a Rockies outfielder this year. In the second game of the season, Brinson thought he had a home run at Marlins Park. Instead, Ian Desmond leaped and reached above the center-field wall to preserve a one-run lead in the eighth inning of a 6-1 win for Colorado.

Brinson seemed to gain a measure of revenge by throwing out Tapia trying to hustle for a double in the seventh.

“I knew he was a little mad, but I think he’s happy he got me,” Tapia said.

"I knew he was going, and I was going to throw him out," Brinson said. "Especially after he took that one away from me. He's not getting any more hits."

However, Brinson was robbed of another hit in the ninth on a sliding catch by right fielder Charlie Blackmon.

“Oh man,” said Rockies second baseman Ryan McMahon, who homered twice. “We’ve got to send him a fruit basket or something.”

The move of Desmond from center field to left and David Dahl's right high ankle sprain have given Tapia playing time in center, his preferred position. Tapia has hit safely in 15 of his last 19 games and has a .333 batting average since the All-Star break.

But defense hasn’t exactly been easy. Fundamental mistakes on routes, techniques and cutoff throws have tripped up Tapia. However, the home-run-robbing catch showed an area Tapia is addressing in pregame work with first-base coach and outfield instructor Ron Gideon -- balls hit over his head.

“A couple nights ago, there was a similar play I didn’t make,” Tapia said. “But we’ve been working hard in batting practice. [Gideon] is always on me to practice those kinds of plays. Luckily, I was able to make that play.”