Utley, Phils salvage split by pounding Rocks

Sep 14, 2007, 4:48 GMT

Philadelphia, PA - Chase Utley hit a two-run homer and scored three times, helping the Philadelphia Phillies club the Colorado Rockies, 12-4, in the finale of a four-game series at Citizens Bank Park.

Jayson Werth knocked in three runs for the Phillies, who earned a split and moved within 1 1/2 games of San Diego for the wild card lead. The Padres fell to LA 6-3 on Thursday.

Starter J.D. Durbin lasted just one-plus innings, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks. The bullpen gave up just one run the rest of the way, however, with Geoff Geary (2-2) picking up the win after tossing three innings of one- hit relief.

Jeff Francis (15-8) was tagged for eight runs over 3 1/3 innings for Colorado, which had won seven of 10 coming in.

Colorado put up a three-spot in the first to gain an early advantage thanks to RBI singles from Troy Tulowitzki, Garrett Atkins and Omar Quintanilla.

The Phillies, though, responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning to move in front. With runners on the corners and two down, Chris Ianetta yielded a passed ball, allowing Utley to score and Ryan Howard to advance to second. Aaron Rowand followed with an RBI single and Wes Helms capped the surge a batter later with a two-run double to right-center.

The home team tacked on four more runs in the fourth to establish an 8-3 lead. Utley sparked the offense with a two-run homer to right, his 19th long ball of the season.

Taylor Buchholz relieved Francis later in the inning with runners on first and second, and gave up a run-scoring single to Werth. Carlos Ruiz's RBI groundout a batter later made it a five-run game.

Atkins' solo homer in the fifth cut the lead to 8-4, but the Phils had an answer.

Philadelphia loaded the bases with one out in the home-half of the fifth, chasing Dan Serafini from the game. Ramon Ortiz entered and promptly gave up a single to Rowand that scored Utley. Werth was hit by a pitch in the next sequence, pushing another run across, and Greg Dobbs upped the lead to 11-4 with a sacrifice fly.

Werth tacked on an RBI double in the seventh.

Game Notes

Colorado won two of three against Philadelphia when these two clubs met at Coors Field in early July...Rockies bench coach Jamie Quirk served a one-game suspension Thursday for his actions during Tuesday's game...Attendance was 42,623.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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