DENVER —The Rockies set off an early round of fireworks at Coors Field Thursday as the lineup erupted for seven runs in the sixth to turn a one-run game into an eight-run blowout and take the rubber match from Miami in a 14-4 win, securing their ninth series win of the season.
The top of the lineup was especially productive, with Jake McCarthy, Mickey Moniak, TJ Rumfield and Willi Castro going a collective 8-for-14 with a walk, a hit-by-pitch, a double, two homers and nine RBIs in the first six innings.
The big sixth inning came courtesy of a lot of little hits – using six singles, a walk, a hit batsman and a sac fly as the Rockies built a lead they would not relinquish.
Moniak finished a hit shy of a cycle for the second straight game. Wednesday night he was a single short for the second time this season, and on Thursday, he was missing a triple, having homered in the first for the third consecutive game against the Marlins, doubled in the third and singled in the sixth. He scored three runs and drove home two.
Rockies starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen couldn’t quite finish the fifth after his six walks in 4 1/3 innings drove his pitch count to 95 and an early exit. He gave up four runs, all earned, on four hits and struck out one.
Trailing 12-4 in the eighth, Miami pulled Javier Sanoja from third base to take the mound and spare the ‘pen, and the Rockies scored twice against him.
Rockies relievers Brennan Bernardino, Victor Vodnik and Zach Agnos combined for 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing just two hits to wrap up the win.