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Quintanilla homers in 12th, Rockies beat Reds

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DENVER ” In a game that featured nearly everything, Omar Quintanilla finally gave it an ending.

Quintanilla homered with one out in the 12th inning and the Colorado Rockies took advantage of five Cincinnati errors to beat the Reds 4-3 on Sunday.

“We had a balk, a wild pitch, a homer, errant throws, walk-off home run,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “We played for the cycle. Both teams across the board.”



Colorado, which stranded 18 runners, tied it in the ninth thanks to two errors and a balk. Matt Holliday scored the tying run on a wild throw by right fielder Jay Bruce.

Quintanilla, who entered as a defensive replacement at second base in the 12th, hit Mike Lincoln’s 1-2 pitch into the right-field bleachers for his second homer of the season.



“I tried to get on base for Matty. I got a pretty good pitch to hit, took a hack at it,” Quintanilla said. “It felt good right away. It was an unbelievable feeling.”

Quintanilla has been used sparingly since shortstop Troy Tulowitzki returned from the disabled list on July 21. Before homering Sunday, he was 3-for-26 since July 26.

“That was very appropriate that that happened for him today because he does his work so professionally,” Hurdle said. “Whatever you ask him to do, he does it. And he does such a good job when he’s out there.”

Lincoln (1-5) was the seventh Reds pitcher in the game.

“I wanted a sinker down and away and it ended up down and in on him,” he said.

Ryan Speier (2-1) worked a scoreless inning for the win.

Reds starter Johnny Cueto left after three innings with soreness in his right triceps tendon and will be examined Monday in Cincinnati. Cueto gave up one unearned run but didn’t allow a hit and walked three.

The Rockies trailed 3-2 entering the ninth against reliever David Weathers. Holliday reached on an error by second baseman Brandon Phillips, went to second on Weathers’ balk and advanced to third on a flyout to right. Bruce’s throw to third went into Cincinnati’s dugout, allowing Holliday to score.

“I didn’t see that balk on Weathers. I don’t think anybody else saw it, either,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “That was a big play in the game today.”

Garrett Atkins and Ian Stewart singled and Chris Iannetta walked to load the bases, but Willy Taveras grounded out to send the game into extra innings.

“Errors kind of got to us today,” Cincinnati’s Jeff Keppinger said.

The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the fifth on Paul Bako’s sacrifice fly.

Chris Dickerson made it 3-1 with his third home run of the year ” and second in two games ” to lead off the sixth. Rockies starter Ubaldo Jimenez loaded the bases with three walks but escaped further damage when Corey Patterson grounded out to end the inning.

Jimenez allowed three runs, two earned, struck out six and walked four in six innings.

The Rockies’ bullpen shut down the Reds, allowing just one hit over the final six innings.

“They’ve been fantastic,” Hurdle said. “They kept rolling it out there today.”

Colorado cut the lead to 3-2 when Holliday led off the seventh with a single, stole second and third and scored on a wild pitch.

The Rockies capitalized on two Cincinnati errors to take a 1-0 lead in the first. Cueto was able to avoid a big inning by striking out Stewart and Iannetta with the bases loaded.

The Reds tied it in the second. Joey Votto, who led off with a double, scored when Patterson beat out a potential double-play ball.


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