At the bottom of the table, the Rockies beat the Marlins 8-2

The bottom third of the Rockies team wasn’t very strong. That’s an understatement.

But on Wednesday night, Colorado delivered a great performance in Colorado’s 8-2 victory over the struggling Marlins at Coors Field. Aaron Shunk, playing No. 9 at second base, got a rare start, batting 2 for 3 and hitting the first home run of his career. The rookie had a .148 batting average entering the game.

Rookie catcher Drew Romo, batting eighth, went 2 for 4 with an RBI. He began the night with a .158 batting average.

And left fielder Nolan Jones, who had a .208 average, hit 2 for 3 with a walk and delivered RBI singles in the third and sixth.

Miami’s vice on Wednesday night was four ugly errors that helped turn a close game into a sure thing for Colorado. And shortstop Ezequiel Tovar hit a two-run double to right-center field in the eighth inning, ensuring the Marlins had no comeback plans. Tovar has 39 doubles.

Rockies starter Kyle Freeland did what Freeland always does. He kept the Marlins off balance for six innings and got key outs when needed.

In the Marlins’ fifth inning, for example, a Connor Norby double with one out and an infield single by Jake Burger got Freeland in trouble, but he struck out Jonah Bride with a dangerous slider and got Derek Hill to make a groundout to second base.

Freeland had six hits, struck out five times and walked just once. He has a 3.74 ERA in eight starts at Coors Field. He improved to 4-6 and earned the 59th win of his career, passing Jason Jennings for the fifth-most in franchise history.

After the Rockies’ epic ninth-inning collapse in a 9-8 loss to the Marlins on Tuesday night, they needed a dramatic performance from their bullpen.

Rookie right-hander Jeff Criswell delivered, throwing scoreless seventh and eighth innings, striking out five players and allowing a solo walk. Anthony Molina threw a scoreless ninth inning.

The Marlins struck first when Hill hit a home run in the second inning, smashing Freeland’s first pitch 378 feet into the left-field bleachers.