Giants 1 - 2 Rockies
Final
  for this game

Rockies try to keep offense rolling versus Giants

Apr 22, 2014 - 2:41 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Colorado Rockies lead the majors in runs scored, batting average and doubles, and target a series win over the San Francisco Giants Tuesday at Coors Field.

Colorado has compiled 114 runs, a .299 batting average, 47 two-base hits and handed the Giants an 8-2 loss in Monday's series opener. The Rockies collected 11 hits, including five home runs, and have scored 35 runs in the past five games.

Charlie Blackmon homered twice, while Nolan Arenado, Wilin Rosario and Corey Dickerson went deep. Dickerson ended with three hits and Rosario drove in three runs for Colorado, which stormed out to a 7-1 lead after three innings.

"I really wanted to win the first game of the series and I think we did a really good job of that," said Blackmon. "We pitched it really well, played some good defense, turned some good double plays (and) swung the bats with people on base. I think it was a really good game to start a series with."

Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez was nursing a knee issue and went 0-for-4 at the plate. He left Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. First baseman Justin Morneau, the newly crowned NL Player of the Week, has 12 RBI and three homers during a six-game hit streak.

The Rockies, winners in five of the last seven games, hammered Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong for five runs and six hits in 1 1/3 innings. Rockies starter Jorge De La Rosa pitched five innings and allowed one run with five strikeouts to earn his first win of the season.

Franklin Morales looks to build on his last start when he takes the mound for the Rockies Tuesday. Morales struck out five batters and walked one over six innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win at San Diego last Thursday.

Morales is 1-1 with a 4.82 earned run average in four games (3 starts) and pitched in relief against San Francisco on April 13 in a 5-4 loss. He fanned two batters and walked one in an inning of work.

The Venezuelan left-hander has made 17 appearances, three of which have been starts, against the Giants throughout his career and has an 0-3 record to go along with a 6.57 ERA.

San Francisco fell back into the loss column and Vogelsong didn't do much to help the cause with a rough outing. He allowed three home runs, walked three batters and didn't strike out any.

"He just could not get the ball where he wanted, and it was just getting away from him and getting up in the zone," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Vogelsong. "They took advantage of it."

Brandon Belt and Hunter Pence had two hits apiece for the Giants, who have scored 11 runs in the past six games.

The Giants had won each of Madison Bumgarner's first three starts, but the left-hander suffered his first loss of the season last time out. Bumgarner gets the call Tuesday and gave up both runs in last week's 2-1 loss to Los Angeles, lasting 4 1/3 innings.

Bumgarner is 2-1 with a 3.48 earned run average in four starts and has allowed eight runs over his last three outings. Opponents are batting .326 against Bumgarner, who is 8-5 with a 3.27 ERA in 16 career starts against Colorado.

He defeated Colorado on April 11 in a 6-5 win even though he allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. Bumgarner has struck out at least six batters in three straight starts.

Colorado lost two of three to the Giants earlier this month by the bay and went 7-3 against them at Coors Field last season.






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