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Rockies down Cubs, who commit four errors

Apr 26, 2011 - 6:40 AM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Carlos Gonzalez and Jose Lopez each knocked in a run, as the Colorado Rockies took advantage of four costly errors to edge the Chicago Cubs, 5-3, in the opener of a three-game set at Wrigley Field.

Dexter Fowler tripled and scored a run for Colorado, which was limited to four hits for the game. The Rockies have won three of their last five.

Esmil Rogers (3-1) picked up the win after working 5 1/3 innings. The right- hander allowed three runs on eight hits, walked four and struck out three. Huston Street threw a scoreless ninth to lock down the win and record his eighth save of the season.

Darwin Barney hit a two-run homer and Alfonso Soriano drove in a run for the Cubs, who pounded out 11 hits, but went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners on base. Chicago has dropped four of five.

Kosuke Fukudome went 5-for-5 -- all singles -- and scored a run in defeat.

Matt Garza (0-3) was dealt the loss for giving up five runs -- one earned -- on three hits in six frames. He fanned seven and walked one.

Fukudome led off the first with a single and scored when Barney hit a homer into the basket in left. Then with the bases loaded and one away, Soriano's sacrifice fly brought in another to give the Cubs a brief 3-0 lead.

The Rockies tied it with three in the second with the aide of three errors by shortstop Starlin Castro.

"If you're going to get beat, you'd at least like to not gift wrap the thing for the opposition," Cubs manager Mike Quade said.

Troy Tulowitzki reached on the first miscue and Seth Smith singled two batters later to put runners on the corners. Lopez then hit a slow roller, but Castro couldn't handle the ball cleanly, allowing the first run to score from third.

With runners on first and second, the young shortstop made a nice backhanded stop on ball hit by Chris Iannetta, but threw wide of the mark to second and both men came in to even the game at 3-3.

Rogers singled and Fowler walked to lead off the fifth. Garza's throwing error on a bunt by Jonathan Herrera allowed Rogers to score with Fowler taking third. Gonzalez's RBI groundout made it a 5-3 game.

"When the door of opportunity knocks, we're capitalizing," Colorado manager Jim Tracy said.

Chicago had its chances, but stranded a pair of runners in the sixth, Soriano bounced into an inning-ending double play in the seventh and the Cubs left another on base in the eighth.

Street took the hill for the bottom of the ninth and yielded a one-out double to Jeff Baker, then struck out Carlos Pena and retired Marlon Byrd on a groundout to end the game.

Game Notes

Colorado improved to 10-4 in the last 14 matchups against the Cubs...Garza fell to 0-3 in three career starts versus the Rockies...Colorado went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded four.