CINCINNATI — Dexter Fowler tripled home Chris Iannetta with the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th innning and the Rockies added another to complete their sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a 6-4 victory in Cincinnati.
What made this win different from the others in the series was that the Rockies tried to lose it. They squandered 3-0 and 4-3 leads, only to deliver the final crowbar to the Reds’ shins in the 11th inning.
Fowler, a late defensive replacement after not starting in any game this series, drove in Iannetta with the go-ahead run. The inning illustrated the difference between the two teams. In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Reds’ Alex Gonzalez walked, leaving manager Dusty Baker to pinch-hit pitcher Homer Bailey. He was inserted for one reason: to bunt. Instead, he inexplicably took two strikes before popping up foul to a loud chorus of boos.
It didn’t appear that any late-inning drama would be needed.
Jason Marquis spent six innings acting as human Visine, getting the Red(s) out. While his velocity was down – consistently 86 mph compared to 90 mph in New York – his location was crisp. Through six innings, he muted the Reds on 80 pitches. They had just two at-bats with runners in scoring position, coming up empty on both occasions.
But a scary moment in the seventh, appeared to unnerve him. Marquis beaned former Cardinals’ teammate Scott Rolen with a sinker that got away, knocking his batting helmet off. Marquis immediately squatted down and shook his head, clearly worried as Rolen lay motionless for a few seconds. But the third baseman walked off without assistance and motioned to Marquis that was he was OK as he left the field.
Nonetheless, Marquis was victimized moments later when another sinker betrayed him. This one drifted back across the middle of the plate as Nix swatted a 428-foot, three-run home run into the right-field seats.
Just as quickly, Troy Tulowitzki shoved the Rockies back ahead with this team-best 20th home run in the eighth inning. Tulowitzki has hit 15 home runs since June 8, and he sits just four shy of his career-high.
The shot was almost for naught. After Rafael Bentacourt retired the first two hitters in the eighth, Joe Beimel failed. Joey Votto, looking inner half with the count 2-2, unloaded on a cut-fastball, his 19th home run tying the game at 4-all.
Huston Street, on his 26th birthday, posted his 27th save, including his 20th straight.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
