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  Wednesday, Aug. 30 7:35pm ET
Petrick's solo shot gives Rockies win
 
  RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME LOG

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Rookie Ben Petrick saved his manager Buddy Bell from having another sticky situation.

Out of available position players and the Rockies' bullpen down to just two pitchers, Petrick hit a solo homer in the 11th inning and the Colorado Rockies, helped by Todd Helton's three-run double, beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 Wednesday night.

Todd Helton
Todd Helton's average might have dropped, but his one hit helps the Rockies win Wednesday.

"We just wanted to get this thing over with and Ben came through in a huge spot," said Bell, who was back in the dugout after serving a two-game suspension.

Bell didn't want to experience another site that occurred eight days earlier when catcher Brent Mayne was called into the game to pitch. Bell used pitcher Brian Bohanon as a pinch-hitter in the 11th.

"Mayner wasn't available tonight, to hit or pitch," Bell said, laughing.

Helton went 1-for-4 with a walk. His batting average dropped a point to .395.

Petrick connected with two outs for his third homer of the season off Wayne Gomes (4-6).

"I know everybody wanted to get out of there as soon as possible," Petrick said. "The first two pitches missed and I felt he was going to come with the fastball. He did and it was down the middle."

The win allowed Colorado to finish its road trip at 5-1 and moved the club three games over .500 at 68-65.

Gabe White (9-1) pitched two innings, allowing one hit, to pick up the win. Jose Jimenez, who pitched 2 1-3 innings on Tuesday, got three outs for his 18th save in 24 opportunities.

"We really didn't want to use Jose, but when Benny hit the homer I felt I had to give him the ball," Bell said.

Jimenez didn't have an opportunity to warmup in the bullpen because the time between Petrick's home run and the final out of the inning was so close.

Jimenez did take his allotted amount of pitches when he reached the mound. Then, Jimenez got some more warmup pitches when shortstop Neifi Perez had something in his eye. As the trainer was working on Perez, Phillies manager Terry Francona erupted at home plate umpire Rob Drake and was tossed from the game.

"(Jose) wasn't ready, we knew that," Francona said. "I don't blame them for trying to stall, I'd do the same thing, but the umpire has to step in there. Perez took ground balls, then all of a sudden got something in his eye. I was saying they can't do that."

Doug Glanville had four hits and drove in two runs for Philadelphia.

Colorado rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the sixth inning against starter Kent Bottenfield. He had retired 15 of 16 batters in the first five innings.

Petrick led off the sixth with a walk and Jeff Frye and Juan Pierre followed with singles, loading the bases. After Perez struck out, Helton delivered a double to the left-center field gap to tie it at 4.

"Kent pitched a great game outside of that one inning," Francona said. "You can't make a mistake, especially a high fastball, to Todd Helton. He'll hurt you."

Bobby Abreu hit a two-run homer, his 22nd, off starter Julian Tavarez in the third inning as the Phillies took a 2-1 lead. It was Abreu's fourth homer in four games.

Tavarez walked the bases loaded in the fourth and Glanville hit a two-out, two-run single, padding the lead to 4-1.

Bottenfield went seven innings, surrendering four hits and three earned runs. Tavarez lasted five innings and issued a season-high five walks.

Colorado scored an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead in the second. Todd Walker singled and advanced to third when Glanville misplayed the ball in center for an error, and later scored on Jeff Cirillo's groundout.

Game notes
Phillies 3B Scott Rolen missed his second straight start due to a sore back. ... Country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw were in attendance. Tug McGraw, Tim's father and the star reliever on the Phillies' 1980 World Series championship team, was inducted into the Philadelphia Wall of Fame before the game. ... Glanville made a great leaping catch against the wall to rob Jeffrey Hammonds of extra bases in the sixth. ... Pat Burrell struck out with the bases loaded in the Phillies sixth, dropping his average to .778 (7-for-9) with the bases full. ... Hammonds was ejected by plate umpire Rob Drake in the 10th inning for arguing a called third strike.
 


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