Marlins 5-Braves 4: After taking game one of the three game series with the Florida Marlins, the Atlanta Braves sent Tim Hudson to the mound. Many on the Braves felt that if they could stay in the playoff race until Hudson returned from Tommy John surgery, they would have a chance. Well, Hudson is back and the Braves were just 2 games out of the Wild Card and 4 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.

The Marlins were clinging to hope in the Wild Card race (but they have since been eliminated), so they can (and probably will) play the role of spoiler. They sent ace Josh Johnson to the mound instead of Rick Vandenhurk (who will now start against the Phillies on Friday). The Oklahoma native (thanks to Doug from Tulsa for setting me straight) was scratched from his start on Sunday due to flu-like symptoms and a 100+ temperature. Against the Braves in 2009, Johnson was 1-1 with a 4.26 ERA in two starts, though he has had success throughout his career against the Braves. Ricky Nolasco is still slated to start the series finale on Wednesday.

The game had all the makings of a pitcher’s duel. It seemed that way early on, until the fifth, when rookie Cameron Maybin connected on a 2-run homerun off of Hudson (it was Maybin’s 4th HR of the year). Hudson was beat by the long ball, giving up the one to Maybin and a solo shot to Dan Uggla in the 4th. Both starters also walked more than usual, Hudson 3 and Johnson 4, which limited both of their innings.

Once the bullpens entered the game, it was anyone’s game. Brian Sanches for the Marlins, who has been an asset for them all year, surrendered a 3-run homerun to Matt Diaz (who is hitting over .300 against the Marlins this season) to tie the game at 4. The game didn’t stay tied for long when Jorge Cantu ripped an RBI single off Braves’ reliever Kenshin Kawakami to give the Marlins a 5-4 lead, which ended up being the final score. Leading the charge for the Marlins (and down the stretch) has been rookie Chris Coghlan, who went 3-for-4 with 2 runs scored. The Marlins proved to be spoilers on this night for the Braves, as the Phillies also won 7-4 upping their lead in the NL East to 5 games and their magic number to clinch to 1. The Colorado Rockies also came back and won 7-5 in extra innings, upping their lead to 3 games over the Braves in the Wild Card.

Rockies 7-Brewers 5: The Rockies finally received a dominant pitching performance from Jason Marquis (6 IP, 6 H, 2 R), but the bullpen imploded in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Huston Street, coming in to record his 37th save, gave up a 3-run homerun to Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jason Kendall to tie the game at 5. Chris Iannetta, relegated to bench-duty since August because of the hot hitting, came off the bench in the 11th inning providing yet another clutch hit for the Rockies, a 2-run walk-off homer.

“What does it say about a man for whom things haven’t gone quite the way he wanted them to and who has not been catching a whole lot?” Tracy asked. “To be called upon in a situation like that and deliver — just a tremendous effort by Chris Iannetta. And it speaks volumes for the man with the way things have gone to not give up on himself, not give up on his teammates, and deliver one of the biggest hits of the season.” The Rockies boosted their lead over the Wild Card chasing Braves to 3 games heading into the final 5 games for them.