Burrell, Howard lead Phils comeback over Rockies

Sep 11, 2007, 3:18 GMT

Philadelphia, PA - Pat Burrell belted a game-tying three-run home run in the seventh inning, and Ryan Howard won it in the 10th with his RBI double as the Philadelphia Phillies topped the Colorado Rockies, 6-5, in the opener of a crucial four-game set between two NL wild card contenders.

Howard also homered for the Phillies, who won their third straight to pull to within 1 1/2 games of the idle San Diego Padres for the wild card. Colorado fell to 3 1/2 games behind the Padres, who face the Los Angeles Dodgers, another wild card contender, in a three-game series starting Tuesday.

'It was a big win. We stayed with them,' said Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.

Phillies starter Kyle Lohse held the potent Rockies offense to seven hits and three runs in six innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Brett Myers (4-6) tossed two scoreless innings of relief for the win.

Matt Holliday finished 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and Troy Tulowitzki also homered for the Rockies, who had won five of seven entering the game.

Ubaldo Jimenez held the Phils to four hits and two runs in six innings. Taylor Buchholz (6-5) gave up the game-winning double to Howard in the 10th.

Chase Utley singled through the infield into right to lead off the 10th. Howard sliced a liner into the corner in left that bounced off the heel of Holliday's glove, and then behind the Rockies leftfielder. Holliday lost the ball momentarily, allowing Utley to come around and score the winning run.

Philadelphia had knotted the score at 5-5 thanks to some two-out lightning in the seventh. Jimmy Rollins singled to right, and Utley walked. Colorado brought in reliever Jorge Julio to face Burrell, and Julio left a 2-0 fastball middle-in that Burrell drilled into the seats in left.

'He's got better balance at the plate, and sees the ball better,' said Manuel of Burrell. 'Right now he's got a very quick swing.'

The Phils got on the board first in the third inning. With Carlos Ruiz on second and two outs, Utley lined a ball that deflected sharply off the glove of Todd Helton and into foul territory on the first base side, allowing Ruiz to score.

The Rockies plated two on an almost-grand slam to go on top in the fourth. Lohse had two outs with a runner on second, but he allowed a single to Brad Hawpe, and then plunked Ryan Spilborghs to load the bases. Yorvit Torrealba hit a line drive to deep right that was caught by a fan reaching over the fence. The umpires ruled it a ground-rule double, scoring two runs, but Rockies manager Clint Hurdle protested, arguing that the ball would have been a home run regardless of the fan interference. Lohse and the Phils escaped only trailing 2-1, though.

Tulowitzki added another run for Colorado with his one-out solo homer to left- center in the fifth, but Howard got that right back with a blast to center in the sixth, pulling the Phils back to within 3-2.

The shaky Phils bullpen reared its ugly head in the seventh, though, as Jose Mesa issued a leadoff walk to Tulowitzki before Holliday belted a laser to left-center, giving Colorado a three-run pad.

'Holliday is a good hitter, and he hits the ball very hard, especially on fastballs,' said Manuel.

Game Notes

Tulowitzki set an NL record for homers by a rookie shortstop with his 20th longball, Ernie Banks held the previous best of 19, set in 1954...The Phillies activated outfielder Michael Bourn off the disabled list on Monday. Bourn had been sidelined since July 30 with a sprained left ankle...Helton, who collected his 35th double on Sunday to become the first player in major league history with 10 consecutive seasons of 35 or more doubles, added number 36 on Monday.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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