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DENVER -- Shortstop Pete Kozma could see the situation coming, his chance in the 15th inning to give the St. Lee Smith Bills Jersey . Louis Cardinals a hard-fought victory. The Colorado Rockies intentionally walked Yadier Molina with one out and runners on first and third to load the bases for Kozma. Batting against Rob Scahill, Kozma grounded into a double play. Corey Dickersons RBI triple with one out in the bottom of the inning gave the Rockies a 7-6 victory in a marathon that lasted 5 hours, 9 minutes. "Hes a good sinkerball pitcher," Kozma said of Scahill. "Faced him a couple times in the minors. I was just looking for something to get up and drive. I had something to hit and didnt do anything with it." What Kozma did was fire his helmet to the ground in disgust. He entered the game hitting just .218 but with a .324 average with runners in scoring position. It is rare for Kozma to show emotion, but this was not just any clutch situation. "Game on the line," Kozma said. "The game lasts six hours or however long it lasted. Everybody was feeling something, especially at that point." Charlie Blackmon finished with four hits and Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton homered for the Rockies in tying the second-longest game in Coors Field history. Matt Holliday had three hits for the Cardinals, who had their NL Central Division lead over Pittsburgh trimmed to one game. The Pirates beat San Diego 10-1 on Thursday. DJ LeMahieu started the winning rally with a one-out single to right. Dickerson then drilled a line drive into the right-field corner as LeMahieu rounded the bases. The relay from second baseman Matt Carpenter beat LeMahieu but catcher Molina couldnt control the ball as LeMahieu crawled to touch home. It was Dickersons second triple of the game and sixth of the season. In the first inning, Helton tagged out Carpenter at first with the hidden-ball trick. After Roy Oswalt threw to first, Helton feigned a throw back to the mound and tagged Carpenter when he stepped off the bag to end the inning. The teams traded late-game rallies. Helton, who struck out with the bases loaded to end Wednesdays game, turned on Edward Mujicas fastball Thursday, drove an 0-1 offering into the Rockies bullpen to lead off the ninth and tie it at 6-all. It was Mujicas fourth blown save in 41 chances. Holliday hit his former team hard, going 8 for 21 with a home run, four walks and four RBIs in the series. He reached base in six straight at-bats Thursday and was poised to be the hero with his RBI single in the ninth before Helton tied it with his 14th home run of the season. It was part of a back-and-forth that saw the Cardinals rally from four runs down but blow two late leads. Trailing 4-0, the Cardinals got within a run in the fourth. Oswalt walked the first two batters, Carlos Beltran singled to score Jon Jay and Holliday came home on a sacrifice fly. Tony Cruz doubled off the wall in left to make it 4-3. Holliday tied it at 4-all with an RBI single in the fifth. David Freese gave the Cardinals a 5-4 lead in the eighth with an RBI double to centre, but Colorado tied it in the bottom of the inning on Dickersons two-out triple. Helton helped the Rockies take an early lead with a leadoff double in the second, his 588th career two-bagger. He moved to third on Charlie Culbersons infield single and scored on Yorvit Torrealbas blooper to right. Culberson scored on a double play to make it 2-0. Tulowitzkis two-run homer in the third made it 4-0. It was his 23rd of the season. Cardinals starter Michael Wacha had a curious Coors Field debut. He allowed four runs and 12 hits but no walks with seven strikeouts in 4 2-3 innings. "Plain and simple, I gave up too many hits," Wacha said. "And I didnt put our team in a good position to win a game. I feel it all starts with the starting pitcher, and I just wasnt able to get guys out there for a while and gave up entirely way too many hits." NOTES: Cardinals 1B Matt Adams (right elbow soreness) did not start but came into the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth. He singled in the ninth and was replaced by a pinch-runner. ... Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer (left wrist, forearm) was out of the lineup but hopes to play Friday. ... RHP Shelby Miller (14-9) will open the Cardinals weekend series in Milwaukee on Friday. ... RHP Jhoulys Chacin (13-9) will start the first game of Colorados series against Arizona on Friday. Erik Pears Bills Jersey ., but it was always a tough ticket to get into Madison Square Garden. Just once before he got on the ice at the age of 12 for an intermission pee-wee shootout, and then Monday night at the age of 28 the Los Angeles Kings goaltender made a much more memorable appearance. Leodis McKelvin Bills Jersey .Y. -- High hopes have given way to high anxiety in New York.SAN FRANCISCO -- Manager Bruce Bochy went to his bosses and asked them to pursue Michael Morse. Meanwhile, the outfielders agent came to him with San Franciscos interest and how it would be a great fit. Morse sure thought so, too. And given his willingness to play on a one-year deal and perhaps try free agency again after next season, it worked out well for both sides. The 31-year-old finalized his $6 million, one-year contract with the Giants after passing his physical Tuesday. "This is a winning organization," Morse said. "As a player your one goal is to win and win a World Series. Not only have the Giants won, theyve won two in the last couple years. What other team would a guy want to play for, especially with Boch as the manager?" Morse will head to spring training in February expected to become a power bat in the middle of the lineup and the teams starting left fielder. Thats a spot general manager Brian Sabean and assistant GM Bobby Evans looked to upgrade after his club missed the playoffs one season after winning a second World Series in three years. "In left field, this is a guy I really wanted. I told Brian that, and Bobby, Gosh, if we can get this guy, I know hes coming off some injuries, if hes healthy hes a presence in the lineup, power, which is what we need," Bochy said. "A guy whos going to fit on this club very nicely." Morse can earn an additional $3 million in performance bonuses. He can play several positions and will give Bochy some flexibility in writing his lineup. Gregor Blanco, a regular last season, is set to move into a fourth outfielder role. "We had a big need out in left field and we were looking for a right-handed bat and hopefully a power run-producing bat," Bochy said. "I dont think we could have found a better fit for our club. Hes somebody I really wanted and I know we did." Morse was traded from Seattle to Baltimore on Aug. 30. He missed time this year with a troublesome wrist, a broken right pinkie and strained right quadriceps before returning from the disabled list in late July. The nine-year veteran batted .215 with 13 home runs and 27 RBIs in 88 games this year. Now, he is eager to return to his top form from 2011, when Morrse hit . Andre Reed Womens Jersey. 303 with 31 homers and 95 RBIs for the Nationals. "I think the 2011 season is something I can do," he said. "Thats my big goal, to stay on the field. I know if I stay on the field everything else will fall into place." Morses agents, Sam and Seth Levinson, reached agreement on his deal last Thursday at the end of the winter meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. He will be part of an outfield featuring Angel Pagan in centre field and Hunter Pence in right. Pagan received a $40 million, four-year contract last December, while Pence was rewarded with a $90 million, five-year contract before the season ended. He played every game this year. San Francisco already has had a productive off-season. The Giants missed the playoffs one year after winning their second World Series championship in three years, and Sabean worked to keep his pitching staff intact. "As everybody knows this off-season has been a hectic one," Sabean said. "Our mission going into the winter meetings was to hopefully rectify our left field situation. I think we were very fortunate not only timing wise but we get a chance to sign Michael. He has experience in that position and brings power and production to a lineup that sorely needs it. From the standpoint of having a wish list and checking off boxes, this was a big opportunity for us we obviously couldnt pass." Right-hander Ryan Vogelsong finalized a $5 million, one-year contract Dec. 4 to re-join a rotation featuring newcomer Tim Hudson, signed to a $23 million, two-year contract Nov. 19. Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum re-signed in late October for $35 million over two years, while lefty Madison Bumgarner and right-hander Matt Cain are already pitching on long-term contracts. The Giants also re-signed left-handed reliever Javier Lopez to a $13 million, three-year contract last month. Right fielder Hunter Pence re-signed before the season ended. "Its more than I thought would happen for us as far as getting these guys done," Bochy said. "I cant say enough about the great job theyve done in keeping our club not just intact, but I think were a better club in our depth." ' ' ' |
