Rockies-Marlins box score

MIAMI - General manager Dan O'Dowd checked around for ways to make the Rockies better in advance of the trading deadline this week and he couldn't find anything.

That was no surprise to the Rockies players.

"We like the guys we have in here," third baseman Garrett Atkins said.

"When we heard some of the names being mentioned, we felt we already had better players than that. We feel like we have the players to do something special."

The Rockies, often overlooked in the National League West title race, rallied for a 4-3 victory Thursday night against the Florida Marlins at Dolphin Stadium, a handful of players coming through in key situations to allow them to take two of three in the opening series of a trip that continues with three games this weekend in Atlanta.

"(The front office) has a job to do and we have a job to do, so whether we added anybody or not wasn't a issue for us," Matt Holliday said. "We feel we have enough talent in here already to continue to play like we have the last (62 games)."

The Rockies have played at a pretty good level during that stretch.

They are 37-25, the best record in the NL during that period.

What's more, they are starting to show some signs of life on the road, where they have won six of their past 11 series after having won only one of their first six road series this season.

And they are in fourth place in the NL West, 3 1/2 games out of first.

"What we know is, we get along great and we have the depth that it isn't like one guy has to do the job every night," Holliday said.

While Jason Hirsh battled his way through his first start in a month and four relievers combined for 3 2/3 shutout innings, Holliday and Atkins had the big hits.

And a resurgent Kazuo Matsui showed the aggressiveness that gives him an edge.

After back-to-back, two-out walks in the first inning to Holliday and Todd Helton, Atkins turned a nine-pitch at-bat against Marlins rookie right- hander Rick VandenHurk into an RBI single.

With Holliday on third base, the score tied and one out in the eighth, Atkins had a foul tip on the first pitch Armando Benitez threw him, fouled off the next four pitches, then drove the winning sacrifice fly to right field.

Matsui set the table twice for Holliday, and Holliday cashed in both times.

"It's my job, in the middle of the lineup, especially with guys like Willy (Taveras) and 'Kaz' in front of me," Holliday said.

Matsui singled, stole second and scored on a single by Holliday in the third, and he led off the eighth by pushing a bunt single to the right side of the infield and scored the tying run on an ensuing double by Holliday.

"I always want to be aggressive, but I haven't been on base that much lately to do my job," said Matsui, who has back-to-back two-hit games, which eased the pain of a 7-for-49 slide.

But the offense hasn't been a concern. The pitching staff has been.

That's why there was a relief to see Hirsh come back from his sprained right ankle.

He made two mistakes - a hanging curveball that Dan Uggla hit for a home run after Hirsh walked Hanley Ramirez to start the first and a hanging slider Josh Willingham turned into a home run and a 3-2 lead with two out in the third.

"After (Uggla's home run), I felt like I locked in and got back on my game plan," Hirsh said. "I realized it was a stupid pitch. I have to make them beat me with my fastball."

He did match a career-best with eight strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, but the big lift came from the bullpen.

After Hirsh issued back-to- back one-out walks in the sixth, Taylor Buchholz bailed him out, striking out Alfredo Amezaga and getting Mike Jacobs on a pop-up.

"For some reason, I feel a lot more comfortable coming out of the bullpen (instead of starting)," Buchholz said.

"Maybe I slow the game down a little, I don't know. I do know I like the role. I really do."

After LaTroy Hawkins and Jorge Julio each worked a scoreless inning, emerging closer Manny Corpas came in to earn his eighth save, facing the top of the order and getting Miguel Cabrera to ground into an ending double play.

"It's another big test for him, and he ended up getting out of a difficult situation," manager Clint Hurdle said.

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