MIAMI (AP) - The Colorado Rockies erased a two-run deficit in the early innings Tuesday. A second comeback bid fell short.
Miami relievers retired three batters with the potential tying run in scoring position in the eighth inning, and the Marlins beat Colorado for the second night in a row, 4-3.
A.J. Ramos struck out Nolan Arenado with runners at the corners to end the eighth, protecting a one-run lead. Steve Cishek converted his 30th consecutive save opportunity and first of the year by pitching a perfect ninth.
“We didn’t get the big hit late,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “Bottom line is we have to find a way to tie that game or take the lead.”
The Rockies trailed 4-2 before Michael Cuddyer and Carlos Gonzalez hit consecutive doubles to start the eighth. Troy Tulowitzki flied out, and Justin Morneau grounded out.
Ramos came on to walk Wilin Rosario, and then struck out Arenado looking.
Nathan Eovaldi pitched six innings and the Marlins made the most of five hits. Their 2-0 start hints at big improvement from last year, when they began 14-41 en route to a 100-loss season.
For the Rockies, the 0-2 start seems like more of the same after they finished last in the NL West in 2013.
Miami’s rotation - the youngest in the majors - stifled the Rockies for the second game in a row. Eovaldi (1-0) allowed two runs and struck out six after Jose Fernandez limited Colorado to one run in the season opener. Eovaldi gave up six hits, walked one and reached 99 mph on the radar gun.
The crowd of 15,906 made for a more subdued atmosphere than Monday’s opener, which Miami won 10-1.
Brett Anderson (0-1) pitched six innings and allowed four runs, three earned. It was the left-hander’s first start with the Rockies after he was acquired in a trade with Oakland in December.
Miami went ahead for good in Anderson’s final inning.
Reed Johnson pinch-hit for Eovaldi and led off with a double. He advanced on a groundout and scored when Stanton hit into a forceout. Stanton advanced on a throwing error by second baseman D.J. LeMahieu, stole third and scored on Casey McGehee’s two-out single.
“There weren’t too many pitches that I would take back,” Anderson said. “It didn’t fall our way tonight. The outing, I’ll take it. I felt I gave us a chance to win. We just came up a little short at the end.”
The Rockies tied the game in the fourth on a run-scoring double by Tulowitzki, a scratch single by Morneau and a sacrifice fly by Rosario. Newcomer Morneau had three hits.
With the score 2-all, Anderson reached on a bloop double in the fifth for his first major league hit, but Eovaldi escaped by retiring Drew Stubbs and Cuddyer.
“I got to second and I didn’t know what to do after that,” Anderson joked.
NOTES: Tulowitzki went into the hole at shortstop to rob Marcell Ozuna of a hit on a grounder in the fifth. … Rockies RHP Jordan Lyles will be activated to start Wednesday in place of RHP Tyler Chatwood, who is out with a left hamstring strain. RHP Henderson Alvarez will make his first start for the Marlins since throwing a no-hitter on the final day of the 2013 regular season. … LHP Franklin Morales will start Thursday at Miami for the Rockies, and RHP Juan Nicasio will start their home opener Friday against Arizona.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.