Ichiro BM081440

As the 2017 season was winding to a close, the Colorado Rockies welcomed the Miami Marlins to Coors Field for a series. The Rockies were chasing the final Wild Card spot while the Marlins were playing out the end of the season. Colorado jumped out early with six runs in the second inning. But the Marlins kept battling. To lead off the fourth inning Christian Yelich hit a single, followed by a Marcell Ozuna single. Justin Bour lined out to right field for the first out, but advanced Yelich to third base. Derek Deitrich hit a force out next, as Marcell Ozuna was out at second base, but Yelich scored. A.J. Ellis kept things moving for Miami as the next batter when he cleared the bases with a three-run home run to make the score 6-3. Miguel Rojas ran up a 1-2 count when this ball was brought into the game after a foul ball. Rojas hit a line drive 285 feet to left field for a single to extend the inning. With the pitcher due up next, the Marlins made a switch and sent up pinch-hitter Ichiro Suzuki. This baseball remained in the game for three pitches, two balls, and then a 95.4 MPH fastball that Ichiro hit foul. This ball was taken out of the game, and one pitch later, Ichiro was done for the day as well as he grounded out to second base to end the inning, making way for pitcher Junichi Tazawa to enter the game, taking Ichiro’s ninth batting spot. The two teams provided plenty of offense over the rest of the game before Colorado emerged as the victors, 15-9. This win moved the Rockies a little closer to a playoff berth, dropping their magic number to three games. Meanwhile, the Marlins dropped to 74-84 in second place in their division, but 21 games behind the Nationals, with only four games left in their season.