Derek Hill homers twice, Kyle Stowers drives in 4 as Marlins beat Rockies 12-8

DENVER (AP) — Derek Hill had three hits and the second two-homer game of his career, Kyle Stowers had three hits and four RBIs, and the Miami Marlins beat the Colorado Rockies 12-8 on Thursday to earn a split of their four-game series.

Ali Sánchez had three hits and stole home, Otto Lopez had three hits, and Connor Norby had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 10 games for the Marlins, who had a season-high 18 hits.

“Eighteen hits, we’ll sign up for that any day of the week,” Marlins manager Skip Schumacher said. “Up and down the lineup, it was just a really good offensive day. This stadium is not easy to win at. No lead is safe.”

Hill, who also homered Wednesday, has four homers and 15 RBIs in 22 games since being acquired by the Marlins off waivers from San Francisco on Aug. 3.

Stowers had eight hits including a double, triple and homer in the series. He was acquired from Baltimore at the trade deadline.

“When he swings at strikes, he hits the ball really hard,” Schumacher said of Stowers. “He has pull-side power when he wants it. He’s a good overall hitter when he is in the strike zone. Still a young guy in this league. Still trying to figure out the league as well. The league adjusted. He adjusted.”

Stowers’ mother and saw him play in a Marlins’ uniform for the first time this series.

“I feel pretty good right now,” Stowers said. “I’ve been working really hard, so it is nice to see some results coming. Super fun series.”

Brendan Rodgers hit two home runs and Brenton Doyle had three hits, including a double and a homer, for the Rockies, who have won or split six of their last seven series at Coors Field.

Eight of the Rockies’ 12 hits went for extra bases. The Marlins, who lost five of six entering the series, had six extra-base hits.

Rodgers has two career multi-homer games, both against Miami. He had three homers and four RBIs in a 13-12 victory over the Marlins in the second game of a June 1 doubleheader at Coors Field.

The scoring started early. Hill homered and the Marlins used two infield hits, one a pop fly lost in the sun, to score another run in the third for a 2-0 lead.

Rodgers and Doyle homered in the bottom of the third to tie it at 2-2.

The Marlins used doubles by Sánchez and Stowers, a double steal with Sánchez scoring from third, a hit batter, an infield single and a fielding error by third baseman Ryan McMahon to score five runs off starter Bradley Blalock (1-1) for a 7-2 lead in the fourth. Stowers drove in two.

“He’s learning through the first couple of starts the difference between facing major league hitters and minor league hitters, and the importance of every pitch counting,” Colorado manager Bud Black said of Blalock, making his fourth major league start after being acquired at the trade deadline from Milwaukee.

The Rockies came back with four in their fourth, capped by Rodgers’ two-run homer off starter Valente Bellozo.

Hill’s two-run homer keyed a three-run fifth for an 11-6 lead. Sánchez also stole second base in the inning. He had his first two career stolen bases. Stowers singled in a run in the ninth.

Jesús Tinoco (1-0) pitched 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for his first career victory.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Rockies: RHP Antonio Senzatela (Tommy John surgery) gave up three runs and struck out five in four innings at Double-A Hartford in his third rehab start Wednesday and is to make another start there next week. … LHP Antoine Kelly was outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Baltimore right-hander Albert Suarez (6-4, 3.18) ERA is to oppose Colorado LHP Austin Gomber (4-9, 4.70) in the first game of a three-game series Friday at Coors Field. Suarez has given up two runs — a pair of solo homers — in his last 23 1/3 innings over four starts. For the Marlins, Austin Oller (1-1, 5.23) will oppose San Francisco’s Blake Snell (2-3, 3.76)