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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, September 7, 2009

Rockies go 2-up in wild-card race


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
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DENVER — Chris Young won the home-run derby. Seth Smith and the Colorado Rockies won the game.

Young hit three home runs for the Diamondbacks, but Smith homered twice and drove in a career-high five runs as Colorado completed a three-game sweep with a 13-5 romp yesterday.

"I have mixed feelings," Young said. "I hit the ball well today, but we got blown out. I would have felt better if we had won."

There were eight home runs overall. Ian Stewart and Carlos Gonzalez homered, and Yorvit Torrealba doubled twice, helping Colorado extend its NL wild-card lead to two games over San Francisco.

Smith went 9 for 13 with three homers and nine RBIs in the series.

Young, who came into the game with only seven home runs this season, connected for a career-high three shots. He came up in the ninth inning with a chance to tie the major league record for homers in a game, and walked with two outs.

Young hit leadoff homers in the second, sixth and eighth innings.

BREWERS 2, GIANTS 1:

Prince Fielder hit a solo homer with one out in the 12th inning and host Milwaukee, helped by a triple play, beat San Francisco. Fielder connected against Merkin Valdez (2-1) for his 37th homer of the season. The Brewers turned their first triple play in 10 years in the sixth. Aaron Rowand hit a hard grounder to third baseman Casey McGehee, who touched the bag and threw to second baseman Felipe Lopez for the force. Lopez's relay to Fielder beat Rowand by a step.

NATIONALS 5, MARLINS 4:

Ryan Zimmerman hit a two-run homer in the ninth to end host Washington's eight-game losing streak. Zimmerman's drive to left-center capped Washington's three-run ninth. Willie Harris started the rally with a leadoff homer against Leo Nunez (4-5) and Cristian Guzman followed with an infield hit to set up Zimmerman's fifth career game-ending homer.

REDS 4, BRAVES 2:

Micah Owings walked off the field after getting beaned with the bases loaded in the 12th inning and visiting Cincinnati picked up its seventh consecutive win. Owings (7-12), who pitched two scoreless innings, was hit on the batting helmet by an 0-1 fastball from Kenshin Kawakami for a 3-2 lead.

PIRATES 6, CARDINALS 5:

Garrett Jones hit a game-ending RBI single to cap a two-run rally in the ninth and host Pittsburgh stopped a nine-game skid. The Pirates fell behind 5-4 on Rick Ankiel's homer off Jesse Chavez (1-4) in the top of the ninth.

METS 4, CUBS 2:

Daniel Murphy homered, tripled and drove in four runs to back Mike Pelfrey's eight efficient innings in host New York's victory. Pelfrey (10-10) allowed five hits in his longest outing this year and Murphy finished a double shy of the cycle.

ASTROS 4, PHILLIES 3:

Bud Norris pitched six strong innings for his first win in a month and Carlos Lee had a two-run single for host Houston. Norris (4-3) allowed two runs and six hits to snap a personal three-game losing streak.

PADRES 4, DODGERS 3:

Kevin Kouzmanoff drove in visiting San Diego's first three runs and Adrian Gonzalez homered against Los Angeles. Tim Stauffer (4-6) won his third straight start, allowing three runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings.