MLB: Philadelphia 12, Colorado 11

DENVER, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Chase Utley finished a wild nine-run seventh with a grand-slam Thursday and the Philadelphia Phillies needed every one of the runs to fight off Colorado 12-11.

Colorado had a 7-3 lead going into the seventh, only to see the Phillies send 12 men to the plate. Nine of them reached base.

Utley singled in the first run of the inning and by the time he came up again Ryan Howard had hit a two-run homer, Jayson Werth had delivered a solo shot and Ben Francisco had singled in a run.

Utley's second trip to the plate in the inning came with the bases loaded and he hit the first pitch from Matt Reynolds over the wall in right. That gave the Phillies a 12-7 lead but Colorado scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to get back in the game.

The Rockies then had a run in and runners on first and second with one away in the ninth before Brad Lidge got Clint Barmes on strikes and retired Ryan Spilborghs on a fielder's choice grounder that ended the game.

Philadelphia won its third straight and moved within two games of Atlanta for the lead in the National League East.

The comeback gave the victory to Antonio Bastardo (1-0), who allowed a run on four hits in an inning of relief. The save was Lidge's 19th.

Manny Delcarmen (3-3), the second of three pitchers who worked in the seventh, took the loss.