DENVER: C.J. Cron hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and finished with a career-best seven RBIs as the Colorado Rockies beat the Miami Marlins 13-8 Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.
Connor Joe also had two homers, including the first pinch-hit home run of his career, and Dom Nunez and Sam Hilliard also connected for the Rockies.
Colorado hit 11 homers in outscoring the Marlins 34-14 over the three games. Cron also hit two in Fridays 14-2 win.
Miami’s Alex Jackson had a three-run homer in the eighth, Jess Aguilar went deep in the ninth and had three RBIs and Lewis Brinson added a two-run single.
Kyle Freeland (3-6) got the win, allowing four runs on seven hits in five innings.
David Hess (2-2) opened in a planned bullpen game for the Marlins but left with none out in the second inning after allowing seven runs on six hits, including Cron’s three-run homer. Nunez added a two-run homer in the second and Joe, batting for Raimel Tapia, hit another two-run homer to chase Hess.
Cron’s grand slam came in the fourth. Ryan McMahon reached on a fielders choice, Trevor Story singled to extend his hitting streak to 11 games and Charlie Blackmon walked to load the bases with two outs. Cron followed with a drive into the left-field bleachers off Sean Guenther for an 11-1 lead.
It was Cron’s 18th homer and third grand slam of the season. He became the first Rockies player in team history with three slams in a season.
ROJAS EJECTED
Miguel Rojas was ejected in the third inning after confronting first-base umpire Mark Carlson, who ruled Rojas had gone around on a check-swing third strike. Bench coach and acting manager James Rowson hustled over to get between Rojas and Carlson and Rojas walked off the field to the clubhouse.
TRAINERS ROOM
Marlins: 2B Jazz Chisholm Jr. was a late scratch from the starting lineup because of illness. Joe Panik replaced Chisholm in the lineup. LF Jorge Alfarao was lifted for pinch-hitter Magneuris Sierra during his third-inning at-bat after Alfarao became short of breath. Sierra inherited a 2-2 count and popped out in foul territory.
Rockies: 2B Brendan Rodgers was not in the starting lineup a day after suffering a bruised right hand when he was hit by a pitch. Manager Bud Black said after Saturdays night game that X-rays were negative and that Rodgers started to feel better but was dealing with soreness.
UP NEXT
Marlins: Rookie RHP Zach Thomas (2-4, 2.53 ERA) will start at San Diego on Monday night against Joe Musgrove (7-7, 2.87). Thomas will be going for his first road win in his 10th major-league start.
Rockies: After an off day Monday, RHP Jon Gray (7-7, 3.67) will start at Houston on Tuesday night. Hell be opposed by RHP Jake Odorizzi (4-6, 4.95 ERA).
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