By CRAIG MEYER
DENVER (AP) — Liam Hicks matched a career high with four RBIs, including his sixth homer of the season, and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 9-7 on Thursday to complete a three-game sweep and salvage a season split.
Otto Lopez and Heriberto Hernández also homered for the Marlins, who finished with 34 hits in the series at Coors Field.
The Rockies had swept the three-game series in Miami in June.
Miami has won seven of eight and remained six games back of the New York Mets for the final National League wild-card spot.
Sandy Alcantara (10-12) struck out eight and gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings. Over his past 11 starts, the former Cy Young Award winner is 6-3 with a 3.18 ERA. He went 4-9 with a 7.14 ERA in his first 19 starts this season.
The Rockies mounted a late charge with a four-run ninth inning, but with the tying run at the plate, Calvin Faucher forced Jordan Beck into a groundout to pick up his 14th save.
In his 11th major league game, Blaine Crim homered twice for the MLB-worst Rockies, who have lost five in a row, 11 of 12 and 22 of 26. Mickey Moniak hit a two-run home run in the ninth to extend his streak of games with a homer to four.
Tanner Gordon (6-7) allowed four runs (three earned) over six innings.
Key moment
Hicks and Lopez hit back-to-back homers in the third inning to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 4-2 lead.
Key stat
The Rockies’ loss was their 112th, breaking a tie with the 2004 Arizona Diamondbacks for the most by a National League team since 1969.
Up next
Marlins: RHP Janson Junk (6-3, 4.48 ERA) will square off against RHP Tyler Mahle (6-3, 2.34) and the host Texas Rangers on Friday.
Rockies: RHP Bradley Blalock (1-5, 9.00 ERA) will take the mound against a to-be-announced starter and the visiting Los Angeles Angels Friday.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
