It’s Not a Football Score: Reds Rout Rockies, 24-12

It was ridiculous even by Coors Field standards.

Jeffrey Hammonds hit three home runs for the first time in his career and Sean Casey added two homers and a career-high six runs batted in Wednesday as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Colorado Rockies, 24-12, at Denver to complete a three-game sweep.

The outburst was Cincinnati’s biggest since scoring a team-record 26 runs against the Boston Braves on June 4, 1911.

“It was unbelievable,” Rocky reliever Chuck McElroy said. “It seemed like everything you’d throw up there--high, low, inside, outside--it was hit. Casey hit a ball at his chin. You could roll the ball up there and they were hitting it.”

The Reds, who have won their last five games, scored in six of the first seven innings, batted around four times and matched a 97-year-old team record with 28 hits. Cincinnati also had 28 hits against Philadelphia on May 13, 1902.

“It was batting practice for both clubs,” Cincinnati Manager Jack McKeon said. “We had a football score here.”

Cincinnati fell two runs shy of the Coors Field record of 26 by the Chicago Cubs on Aug. 18, 1995, but the two teams topped the combined record of 33 in that same game.

“I was wondering how many days are like that here,” said Casey, who went eight for 15 in the series. “The ball was jumping. Not only was it jumping, but guys were hitting the ball everywhere. It’s pretty amazing.”

Hammonds, who entered the game hitting .132 with no homers, went four for six with a career-best five RBIs. It was the fifth multi-homer game of his career.

“I’ve been waiting for this day all year,” he said. “Over the last week, I started seeing the ball a lot better, but you can never say you’re going to hit the ball the way we did today.”

Casey went four for four, walked three times and scored five runs in his first two-homer game. Four other Reds had three hits as Cincinnati wasted an early 6-0 lead before pulling away for their first sweep in Colorado.

Chicago 8, Florida 7--Henry Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in the ninth at Miami--his second homer of the game--to spoil John Boles’ surprise return as Marlin manager.

The Cubs blew a 5-0 lead before rallying in the ninth against Marlin closer Matt Mantei (0-1) to hand Florida its team-record 11th consecutive home loss.

Boles, who underwent emergency back surgery Monday, shocked everyone when he walked into the ballpark 90 minutes before the game. Boles’ doctors, who repaired a herniated disk and removed a bone that had broken off in a two-hour operation, told him he should refrain from any physical activity for two weeks.

Montreal 10, Philadelphia 9--Rondell White drove in the winning run at Montreal with a sacrifice fly as the Expos scored four runs in the ninth against Phillie closer Jeff Brantley.

With the Expos trailing, 9-6, James Mouton drew a bases-loaded walk against Brantley (1-2) and Ryan McGuire followed with a two-run single to left to tie the score, 9-9, and advance Mouton to third.

White followed with a fly to center to score Mouton as Brantley failed for the first time in seven save opportunities.

Atlanta 7, Pittsburgh 3--Brian Jordan hit a sixth-inning grand slam at Atlanta.

Leading 3-1, Francisco Cordova (0-2) of the Pirates got the first out in the sixth before Ozzie Guillen doubled and moved to third on a single by Bret Boone.

After Chipper Jones walked on four pitches--none close--Jordan hit Cordova’s first pitch over the fence in left-center for his 10th homer to make the score 5-3.

Milwaukee at New York--The game was postponed because of rain and will be made up today as part of a doubleheader.