Juan Pierre felt good when the ball left his bat. Then he saw where it was headed — one place he dreaded.

        The line drive dipped and veered as it headed directly to second baseman Juan Castro, one of the Reds' most sure-handed fielders. If he got it in his glove, the game was over.

        “I thought he had a chance to catch it,” Pierre said. “It was kind of like a knuckleball when it came off the bat. When it went off his glove and hit the grass, I was like, 'Yeah!”'

        The Colorado Rockies cheered themselves hoarse Sunday as they pulled off one of their most dramatic comebacks of the season. Pierre's two-run single tied it in the ninth, and he scored on Juan Uribe's pinch single for a 7-6 victory.

        “It felt like a college game,” Pierre said. “When Uribe got that hit, I just about got hoarse. Everybody was up and yelling and stuff. It was that type of atmosphere. That was probably one of the biggest wins of the year for us.”

        He wasn't exaggerating. The Rockies just don't do this sort of thing on the road — rally for five runs in the ninth.

        Colorado had gone nearly two months without winning a series on the road. The Rockies swept a three-game series at Cinergy Field from June 15-17, then didn't win another until they took two of three this weekend.

        Until the ninth, they had the feeling things weren't going to work out this time, either. But after a walk and Larry Walker's fourth single of the game, the downcast Rockies bench was starting to come to life.

        “Going into that inning, you feel like, 'Here we go again,”' said Greg Norton, who was on the bench when it began. “When the first couple of guys got on, the momentum changed. You could smell it then.”

        Jeff Cirillo had a sacrifice fly and Norton's two-out double off Danny Graves (5-4) cut it to 6-4, left runners at second and third and started a string of four straight hits.

        Pierre hit the darting line drive that deflected off Castro's glove and rolled into the outfield for a tying two-run single.

        “I thought it would be an easy catch, but it moved away from me at the last second,” Castro said. “I thought I had it, too.”

        Uribe's pinch single to center gave the Rockies their first lead. Jose Jimenez pitched the ninth for his 15th save in 19 chances, taking over for Jay Powell (4-2).

        By Rockies' road standards, it was remarkable.

        “We really haven't been playing too good,” manager Buddy Bell said. “It's a step in the right direction, I hope.”

        Rockies Notes: The Rockies have a winning record in only two ballparks this season: Cinergy Field (5-1) and San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium (4-2). They're 28-31 at Coors Field. ... Cirillo was back at third base after missing two games with a sore back. He was 0-for-3 with the ninth-inning sacrifice fly. ... Neagle doubled and hit his fourth career homer, a solo shot. He got a no-decision, leaving him without a win in his last eight starts.

Rijo's return on deck Rockies 7, Reds 6 Soto says thanks Davis keeps ball over the plate Riedling rejoins bullpen Rockies leave hoarse, happy Reds-Cardinals Scoutign Report Reds box, runs

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