Colorado Rockies history: the Rockies win in a slugfest against the Marlins

We continue with our top 32 moments in Rockies franchise history tournament with a moment that happened fairly recently: July 4, 2008. The Rockies and (then-named) Florida Marlins faced each other in a classic Coors Field duel. The Rockies won the game by the score of 18-17.

On July 4, 2008, both the Rockies and Florida Marlins were going two different directions. The Rockies entered the game with the third worst record in the National League at 35-51. This was only one year after they went to the World Series. The Marlins, surprisingly, had the fifth best record in the league at 44-41, 2.5 games back of the eventual World Champion Philadelphia Phillies. But on this day, the Rockies celebrated Independence Day with a huge win against the Florida Marlins as they won the game by the score of 18-17.

The starting lineups

Florida Marlins

1. Hanley Ramirez, SS
2. Jeremy Hermida, RF
3. Jorge Cantu, 3B
4. Josh Willingham, LF
5. Mike Jacobs, 1B
6. Cody Ross, CF
7. Matt Treanor, C
8. Alfredo Amezaga, 2B
9. Scott Olsen, SP

The Rockies

1. Ryan Spilborghs, CF
2. Clint Barmes, 2B
3. Matt Holliday, LF
4. Garrett Atkins, 3B
5. Jeff Baker, 1B
6. Chris Iannetta, C
7. Brad Hawpe, RF
8. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
9. Greg Reynolds, SP

The scoring started very early in the game. In fact, it’s as early as you can get.

On the very first pitch of the game, Hanley Ramirez led of the game with a home run. Greg Reynolds walked Jeremy Hermida and hit Jorge Cantu. Two batters later, Mike Jacobs had an RBI double that scored Hermida. Two batters later, Matt Treanor hit a three-run home run to make it a 5-0 Marlins game. Alfredo Amezaga singled but Reynolds retired Scott Olsen, the pitcher and the ninth batter in the inning to retire the side.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Rockies chipped at the lead at Ryan Spilborghs led off with a double. Clint Barmes follwed with an RBI double to make it a 5-1 Marlins game. However, the Rockies were retired in order after that.

The Marlins came out swinging in the second inning Ramirez and Cantu each got singles. Josh Willingham followed Cantu with a ground-rule/fan-interference double that scored both runners to make it a 7-1 game. Reynolds walked Jacobs and that was the end of his evening.

Reynolds went 1 1/3 innings with seven hits, seven runs, and two walks allowed.

Cedrick Bowers replaced Reynolds (I know, who in the world is he?) and he did not allow any more damage in the inning.

The Rockies chipped at the 7-1 Marlins lead with a double by Troy Tulowitzki, a walk by Bowers, a RBI singles by Spilborghs and Barmes to make it a 7-3 game.

Bowers got through the third with no issues (Scott Olsen got a single but he was retired on a double play).

In the third inning, Garrett Atkins led off with a double and he advanced to third on an error by Amezaga. Jeff Baker knocked him in with an RBI groundout but no further damage came in the inning.

In the fourth inning, Bowers unraveled as Cantu got on with a leadoff single, Willingham walked (with a wild pitch that advanced Cantu to second during the at-bat), a single to Jacobs, a three-run double by Ross, and a RBI double to Treanor.

Luis Vizcaino came on in relief and he allowed a RBI double to Ramirez that scored Amezaga (that run was charged to Bowers) and an RBI single by Hermida. Jorge Cantu batted for the second time in the inning and he flied out to end the inning. The Rockies were down 13-4 entering the bottom of the fourth inning.

Spilborghs hit a two-out home run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 13-5 game. In the bottom of the fifth, Matt Holliday led off with a home run and following a single by Atkins and a double by Baker, Chris Iannetta hit a three-run home run to make it a 13-9 game.

The Marlins went down 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth but the Rockies chipped into the Marlins lead even more as Spilborghs hit his second homer of the day off new reliever Taylor Tankersley. Barmes singled and two batters later, Atkins hit a two-run home run to make it a 13-12 game.

Joe Nelson came on to relieve Tankersley but, with the exception of two walks, nothing came about.

In the top of the seventh facing Jason Grilli (who was in his second inning of work), the Marlins added to their lead as Cantu and Willingham led off the inning with doubles. Cantu did not score on Willingham’s double, though, as it was a shallow pop-fly that nobody caught. Jacobs was intentionally walked and Cody Ross followed Jacobs with a two-run single to make it a 15-12 Marlins lead. Manny Corpas came on in relief in a double-switch after that. Three batters later, Luis Gonzalez (the former Diamondbacks outfielder, not the former Rockies second baseman) had a two-run single to make it a 17-12 game. Corpas retired Ramirez to stop the bleeding.