RAPIDS PARTICIPATE IN GARTH BROOKS' CHARITY SOFTBALL GAME

DENVER (Saturday, June 10, 2000) - Four Rapids players were among several Denver professional athletes to join country music superstar Garth Brooks in the "Evening of Stars and Fireworks" on Thursday night at Coors Field in Denver. Rapids players Marcelo Balboa, Scott Vermillion, Chris Martinez and Matthew Okoh took part in the charity event, which included a softball game and a home run hitting contest. In the end, Martinez and Okoh's grey team outlasted Balboa and Vermillion's blue team, 27-26.

For a look behind the scenes, www.coloradorapids.com was there, and is proud to present a photo diary of the entire evening. Please log on to http://www.coloradorapids.com/main.asp for more than 50 photos from the event.

Following are the Rapids' stats, rosters from the game, a summary of the game as well as a few, choice highlights.

Rapids Player	(position)	AB	R	H	RBI	HR
Marcelo Balboa (catcher)	4	3	3	1	1
Scott Vermillion (2B)		2	0	0	1	0
Chris Martinez (RCF)		4	1	1	1	0
Matt Okoh (RF)			4	2	3	1	0

Blue Stars:
Larry Walker (Rockies)
Ed McCaffrey (Broncos)
Mike DeJean (Rockies)
Tom Goodwin (Rockies)
Brian Griese (Broncos)
Howard Griffith (Broncos)
Marcelo Balboa
Scott Vermillion
Nick Van Exel (Nuggets)
George McCloud (Nuggets)
Adam Deadmarsh (Avalanche)
Shjon Podein (Avalanche)
Dave Reid (Avalanche)
Jeff Odgers (Avalanche)

Gray Stars:
Garth Brooks
Todd Helton (Rockies)
Mike Lansing (Rockies)
Neffi Perez (Rockies)
Mark Schlereth (Broncos)
Trevor Pryce (Broncos)
Chris Martinez
Matt Okoh
James Posey (Nuggets)
Chris Drury (Avalanche)
Stephane Yelle (Avalanche)
Jon Klemm (Avalanche)
Chris Dingman (Avalanche)

RAPIDS HIGHLIGHTS:

** After stroking several home runs in batting practice, Balboa nailed five home runs to advance to the second round of the home-run contest, eventually won by Broncos QB Brian Griese, who just kept getting good new all day.

** Balboa then backed it up with a towering home-run in the sixth inning of the game.

** Okoh started off red-hot in right field, gunning down a runner at third with a long throw. The problem...the next batter hit a lazy fly ball to right...whick Okoh proceeded to drop after an awkward basket catch attempt that may have made Willie Mays roll over in his grave!

** Martinez came within inches of a highlight-reel sliding catch in right, but did impress with a nice, leaping catch near the fence.

** Vermillion took three swings in batting practice...and sent three balls sailing behind the cage! With that, Rockies officials came and raised the cage around the batters box to protect the innocent bystanders...and earn Vermillion a lot of ribbing from the other athletes. Balboa: "That's so he doesn't kill anybody!"

How They Scored: (Thanks to www.coloradorockies.com) Blue 1st: Ed McCaffrey led off with a single, but he was thrown out trying for third on a Mike DeJean base hit. Tom Goodwin reached on an error, moving DeJean to third. Brian Griese hit a three-run homer, and Howard Griffith followed it up with a solo shot. Marcelo Balboa singled, and Nick Van Exel knocked him in with a two-run homer.

Gray 1st: Mike Lansing led off with a homer. Garth Brooks singled, and Todd Helton drove him in with a double. Neifi Perez scored Helton with a single, and Perez scored on a Bill Romanowski double. With two outs, Matt Okoh singled home Romanowski. James Posey hit a two-run homer. Blue 2nd: Shjon Podein hit a solo shot. Dave Reid hit a ground-rule double. McCaffrey hit a two-run, inside-the-park home run. DeJean singled, setting up a two-run homer by Goodwin. After Griese doubled, Griffith hit his second homer in as many innings.

Gray 2nd: With one out, Lansing, Brooks and Helton went back-to-back-to-back. Perez doubled and scored on a Romanowski triple. Trevor Pryce knocked in Romo with a triple.

Blue 3rd: Van Exel tripled and scored on a pop foul to the catcher. Gray 3rd: Stephane Yelle led off with a homer. Jon Klemm doubled, advanced to third on a Lansing single and scored on a Brooks base hit. Helton singled in Lansing, and Romanowski knocked in Brooks with a base hit. Blue 4th: Reid singled. With two outs, McCaffrey hit a two-run homer, and DeJean followed suit with a solo blast.

Gray 4th: After Okoh singled, Posey hit a two-run homer. Chris Drury followed with a solo homer. Yelle doubled and scored on a Dingman two-bagger.

Blue 5th: Griffith doubled, moved to second on a Balboa single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Scott Vermillion.

Gray 5th: After Brooks singled, Helton blasted a two-run homer. Blue 6th: After Podein singled, Reid belted a two-run homer. Jeff Odgers singled but was forced at second, when Brooks made a magnificent diving stop on a McCaffrey grounder and tagging the base. DeJean hit a two-run homer. After Goodwin and Griese singled, Griffith blasted a three-run homer to put his team in front. Balboa added another run with a solo shot. Gray 6th: After Martinez singled, Posey hit his third home run of the game.

Drury doubled. With two outs, Klemm hit a walk-off homer to win it by one.

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