Major League Baseball

Stanton's long HR helps Marlins beat Rockies 6-2 in rain

Published Jun. 6, 2015 1:34 a.m. ET

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DENVER (AP) Giancarlo Stanton's success at altitude is not surprising. Tom Koehler dominating in the same park stands out.

Stanton hit a mammoth home run, Koehler pitched seven effective innings and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 6-2 Friday on another rain-soaked night at Coors Field.

J.T. Realmuto had a career-high four hits for the Marlins, who have won three straight.

Koehler has dominated the Rockies in four starts - three in hitter-friendly Denver. He didn't allow a hit and faced the minimum Friday until Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez had consecutive two-out singles in the fourth.

''I've been fortunate the times I've pitched here to have really good fastball command,'' Koehler said. ''When I have fastball command I work off that. That has a lot to do with it.''

Koehler kept throwing strikes after his teammates gave him an early lead. The Marlins scored twice in the second before Stanton made it 3-0 with a one-out shot to center off Eddie Butler (3-6).

Stanton's drive, his 18th, traveled an estimated 478 feet. He entered Friday hitting .455 in his last five games against the Rockies, and he has at least one RBI in 13 of his 15 career games at Coors Field.

''I like the backdrop,'' Stanton said. ''Forest green, my favorite backdrop.''

Stanton singled in the fifth to help Miami tack on another run, and Realmuto had a leadoff triple to spark a two-run sixth that made it 6-0.

The only run Koehler (4-3) allowed came after second baseman Dee Gordon slipped while fielding Charlie Blackmon's grounder in the sixth. Blackmon scored on a two-out single by Tulowitzki.

Colorado loaded the bases again in the seventh, but Koehler got Blackmon to ground out to end the threat after a visit from manager Dan Jennings.

''Sometimes you have to test their limits,'' Jennings said. ''If you want guys to crawl over certain thresholds you've got to give him an opportunity to do it. He's earned that here.''

Koehler struck out six and walked one. He is 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA against Colorado and has pitched seven innings in every start versus the Rockies.

''We haven't quite figured him out,'' Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. ''We've faced him three, four times now and he's commanded the ball well against us. He's been tough on us.''

It was a familiar sight at Coors Field after the seventh inning when a light rain turned into a torrential downpour. The grounds crew barely got the tarp on the field before hail started to fall during a delay of 1 hour, 55 minutes.

It was the 12th time this season a game in Denver has been postponed or delayed by weather. Colorado has had a total of 14 hours, 29 minutes, of rain delays at home this season.

''It's almost like every time we play at home it's always raining,'' Gonzalez said. ''We have to stay (in the clubhouse) for over an hour every time. You're going to lose your momentum. Fans leave.''

The Rockies scored an unearned run in the eighth off Vin Mazzaro after play resumed.

HEATING UP

Tulowitzki and Gonzalez have started hitting after slow stars for the two stars. Tulowitzki had three hits to extend his streak to six games. Gonzalez has a hit in eight of his last 10 games to raise his average to .233.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Marlins: 1B Michael Morse (sprained right finger) will begin some dry swings and then progress toward a rehab assignment. ... RHP Henderson Alvarez (right shoulder inflammation) will begin throwing next week. ... RHP Jarred Cosart (vertigo) will throw 75 pitches in an extended spring game Saturday. ... RHP Mat Latos (left knee inflammation) will pitch for Triple-A New Orleans on Monday. He will throw 85-90 pitches. If it goes well, it will be Latos' last rehab assignment.

Rockies: RHP LaTroy Hawkins (right biceps tendinitis) touched 96 mph in a rehab game Thursday. He is close to returning. ... 1B Justin Morneau (concussion symptoms) has not made real progress. The Rockies continue to be cautious with him.

UP NEXT

Marlins: RHP David Phelps (2-2) will start his second career game against the Rockies. Phelps last faced Colorado in 2013. He allowed two runs and three hits in six innings and didn't get a decision.

Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (1-0) makes his second start and third appearance for the Rockies this season. Rusin got his only win this year in an emergency relief appearance against Philadelphia on Sunday.

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This story has been corrected to show that Koehler has made three starts in Denver.

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