Rockies Win on Walk-Off Homer

Todd Helton hit his second solo home run, a one-out shot in the ninth inning, and the Colorado Rockies rallied past the Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 Tuesday night. Helton`s 33rd home run, off Rheal Cormier, handed the Phillies their fourth straight loss and third in a row on a homer in the bottom of the ninth.

The New York Mets` Robin Ventura homered off Turk Wendell on Saturday and Mike Piazza connected against Cormier on Sunday. Jose Jimenez (5-1) pitched the ninth for the win. Cormier (5-5), who entered the game in the eighth and ended a Rockies` rally, took the loss.

Tomas Perez drove in three runs and Pat Burrell hit a two-run homer for the Phillies.

Terry Shumpert`s bases-loaded triple keyed a four-run comeback in the eighth for the Rockies.

Phillies starter Robert Person pitched seven strong innings, allowing five hits and departing with a 5-2 lead.

Homers by Helton and rookie Jose Ortiz accounted for the only runs off Person.

The Phillies took a 6-2 into the bottom of the eighth, when Shumpert, atoning for a fielding gaffe in the top of the inning, tripled off Ricky Bottalico after Wendell had loaded the bases.

Pinch-hitter Larry Walker followed with an RBI double, making it 6-all. The Rockies left the bases loaded, however, when Ortiz grounded into an inning-ending double play.

The Phillies went ahead 2-0 in the fourth on Burrell`s homer off Brian Bohanon. With one out, Bobby Abreu singled and Burrell hit a 434-foot homer to right-center.

Colorado made it 2-1 in the fifth on Ortiz`s first major league homer.

Perez`s RBI single gave the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the sixth. Burrell led off with a single and advanced to second on center fielder Juan Pierre`s fielding error. Travis Lee walked and Perez singled up the middle.

In the Rockies` half, Helton`s 32nd homer, a 437-foot shot, cut the deficit to 3-2.

Perez hit a two-run double off reliever Juan Acevedo in the seventh.

The Phillies added a run in the eighth when Shumpert misplayed Scott Rolen`s liner to left into a run-scoring double.

Pierre made a running catch, slamming into the center-field wall, to rob Abreu of extra bases in the fifth.

Notes: Just before the trading deadline, the Rockies sent RHP Pedro Astacio and cash to the Houston Astros for RHP Scott Elarton and a player to be named later. ... Phillies IF Marlon Anderson, who strained his left hamstring last Thursday, took ground balls and batting practice before the game and was expected to be available as a pinch-hitter. The Phils projected him to return to the lineup on Thursday. ... Rockies OF Larry Walker, nursing a sore left hamstring, did not start for the ninth straight game. An MRI on Tuesday failed to disclose any serious problem. ... The Rockies recalled C Sal Fasano from Triple-A Colorado Springs.

(Copyright 2001 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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Author: 6 ABC - Action News