Cardinals’ closer Ryan Franklin gave up two, three-run homers in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Colorado Rockies scored nine runs to in 12-9 Tuesday night at Coors Field.
Blake Hawksworth appeared to be inline for the win pitching five innings and watching the Cardinals build a 9-2 lead after six innings. Matt Holliday, playing in his former home park, launched a three-run homer in the sixth. It was his 12th of the year, but the seven run cushion, especially in the altitude, was not enough. After the game, manager Tony LaRussa summed it up best. “It’s just a brutal loss, is what it was.”
Dennys Reyes started the ninth inning and gave up a leadoff single to former Royal Miguel Olivo, then got Seth Smith to line out to first. Smith would get one more at-bat later in the inning. Then another single and walk with a passed ball from Yadier Molina gave the Rockies their first run and Franklin came one.
With one out and runners on first and second, Chris Ianetta hit a three-run homer on a 3-2 pitch to make it 9-7. Then after a double, Franklin got a ground out to make it two outs.
Then, consecutive singles and an error by Randy Winn brought it two more runs tying the game 9-9 with a runner on first. With pitcher Aaron Cook pinch running at first, Olivo singled again giving the Rockies runners on the corner, before Smith, who made an out earlier in the inning, hit the walk off three-run homer to win it for the Rockies.
“We played our butts off for nine innings, and then I come in and didn’t get the last out,” Franklin said. “I just didn’t get it done. I feel bad for everybody in here who fought so hard for three hours.”
The Cardinals remain two games in back of Cincinnati.
