Cabrera's Grand Slam Propels Marlins To 10-2 Win Over Rockies

Saturday, September 15th 2007, 10:24 pm

By: News On 6

DENVER (AP) _ Miguel Cabrera hit the first grand slam of his career and Hanley Ramirez had two singles and three stolen bases to help the Florida Marlins beat the slumping Colorado Rockies 10-2 on Saturday night.

The last-place Marlins put another crimp in the Rockies' postseason hopes, beating them for the second straight night. Colorado entered the game 3 1/2 games behind the NL wild card-leading San Diego Padres, who hosted San Francisco later in the evening.

The Rockies have lost three in a row for the first time since dropping eight straight in June.

Florida, eliminated from the postseason race, has won four straight to match a season high.

Cabrera's 438-foot homer to center _ his 32nd _ was the fifth grand slam by the Marlins this season. He finished 3-for-5 and drove in a season-high five runs, pushing his season total to 104 RBIs.

He joins Alex Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero as the only players to reach the 100-RBI plateau in each of the last four seasons. Cabrera currently has a 10-game hitting streak.

Ramirez has 193 hits this season, tying him for the NL lead with Jimmy Rollins and Matt Holliday. Ramirez's three stolen bases tied a career high. He also had three against the New York Mets earlier this season.

Logan Kensing (1-0) pitched two innings in relief to earn the win. It was just his second career major league victory.

Florida starter Sergio Mitre went 4 2-3 innings before being pulled for Renyel Pinto with two outs in the fifth and the bases loaded. Pinto got Todd Helton to ground out to first to end the inning.

It's the first time Colorado has lost two straight at Coors Field since Aug. 22-23 against Pittsburgh.

Ubaldo Jimenez (3-4) struggled with his command from the outset and was lifted for a pinch hitter in the third. He gave up five runs, two earned, on five hits in three innings. He also had four walks and five strikeouts.

Florida scored the three unearned runs _ all with two outs _ in the third. Miguel Olivo had a two-run double and Josh Willingham added an RBI double.

Olivo added another RBI double in the ninth.

Ramirez led off the game with a walk and then stole second and third. Jeremy Hermida lined a shot past the diving Cory Sullivan in center field for an RBI triple, Ramirez's first triple of the season. It extended Hermida's hitting streak to 11 games.

Ramirez now has 49 stolen bases and 28 home runs this season. He's attempting to become just the third player in major league history to reach 30 homers and 50 stolen bases. The only current members of the 30-50 club are Eric Davis (37 homers, 50 stolen bases) in 1987 and Barry Bonds (33-52) in 1990.

Notes: Jimenez's fastball reached 100 mph on a pitch to Cabrera in the first inning. ... 2B Kaz Matsui took ground balls Saturday, but there's no timetable on his return. Matsui has been hampered by a right hamstring strain. ... Manager Clint Hurdle is still hoping to get OF Willy Taveras back before the end of the season. Taveras is sidelined with a strained right quadriceps muscle. ... The Marlins tied a season high with five stolen bases.