Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – Jimmy Rollins drove in the tying run and scored the winning run on a wild pitch in the seventh inning as Philadelphia clipped Colorado, 4-3, in the third edition of a four-game set from Citizens Bank Park.
Ben Francisco hit a two-run homer for the Phillies, who have taken the first three games in the series and four in a row overall.
Ryan Madson (3-1) hurled a scoreless relief inning for the win. Brad Lidge loaded the bases in the ninth but recovered to earn his ninth save.
Ryan Spilborghs clubbed a two-run shot for the Rockies, who stumbled to their fifth straight defeat.
Joe Beimel (1-1) was saddled with a blown save and the loss after being charged with two runs — one earned — over two-thirds of an inning.
Madson escaped a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the top of the seventh by getting Spilborghs on strikes and inducing a flyout from Ian Stewart. The Phillies then struck twice to take the lead for good.
Wilson Valdez led off the home seventh against Beimel with a pinch-hit, ground-rule double then scored when Rollins laced a base hit to left, which was mishandled by Carlos Gonzalez. After a line out and groundout, Ryan Howard walked then Rollins stole third just before Rafael Betancourt came in. Rollins scored the go-ahead run when Betancourt threw a pitch in the dirt that barely eluded catcher Miguel Olivo.
Jose Contreras and J.C. Romero combined for a scoreless eighth frame.
In the ninth, Lidge gave up a hit and a pair of walks and had the bases loaded with two outs, but Stewart looked at a called third strike to end the game.
“It’s obviously a tough way to lose, but you don’t put yourself in a favorable position when you strand 12 runners,” lamented Rockies manager Jim Tracy. “We just continue to allow the big at-bat to elude us and we lost by a run because of it.”
Colorado loaded the bases in the second against Phils starter J.A. Happ on a double, single and walk but picked up just one run on a sacrifice fly to center from Clint Barmes.
“I thought it was good. It felt good to get back up there again,” noted Happ, who hadn’t started due to injury since April 15. “Take away a few walks and we’re right in the ballgame. It was good to get another win. I feel like this is where I belong, I just have to go out there and prove it. I took another step toward it today.”
In the home half, Jayson Werth singled with one out and Francisco followed with a long homer to left.
Spilborghs hit a two-run shot in the fourth after a Melvin Mora walk opened the inning and the Rockies led 3-2, then Francis worked out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the bottom of the frame.
The Phillies also couldn’t dent Rox starter Francis in the fifth despite runners on the corners with no one out.
“We’re still very comfortable with each other in here, and we have a team that’s built to win. We plan on doing that,” Werth said.
Philly improved to 4-1 against Colorado this season and have won eight of their last nine at home over the Rockies…Happ allowed four hits and three runs with four strikeouts and four walks in five innings…Francis was tagged for six hits and a pair of runs over five innings, fanning six with one walk…Rain delayed play for one hours, 39 minutes.