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Hawpe's hit in the seventh helps Rockies beat Diamondbacks

Apr 14, 2007 - 7:22 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Brad Hawpe and the Colorado Rockies finally had some success against Brandon Webb.

Hawpe's two-run double off Webb in the seventh inning was the key hit as the Rockies posted a 6-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Kaz Matsui had three hits and scored twice and Todd Helton and Matt Holliday had two hits and drove in two runs apiece for Colorado, which won for the first time in six games here vs. Webb.

"Maybe Webb did not have the best location at times on his sinkers," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said. "I actually thought Webb made a pretty good pitch to Hawpe, but he just turned on it."

Webb (1-1) surrendered five runs, eight hits and four walks in seven innings while striking out two. "I felt pretty good at first, right up until the last inning," Webb added. "It just seems like I couldn't make a perfect pitch. I couldn't make the big pitch, that's what it was."

After Arizona tied the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer by Eric Byrnes off Rockies starter Josh Fogg, the Diamondbacks stormed back in the seventh.

With runners on first and second, Hawpe hammered a double down the right field line off Webb to plate Jamey Carroll and Holliday, helping Colorado regain a two-run lead.

Reliever Jeremy Affeldt (1-0) worked a scoreless sixth for the win, two more relievers bridged the gap to closer Brian Fuentes, who had a 1-2-3 ninth for his second save.

Helton had RBI singles in the third and fifth innings to reach 1,000 RBI for his career.

"It's a large number," Helton said. "There is no denying. I'm proud to get there and happy to get some more. It always helps when it comes in a win." For Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, a former major leaguer himself, it was a pleasure to watch.

"It was nice to see him get that, it's quite an accomplishment," Hurdle said. "He's a great player and he's a great hitter. To knock down that milestone has got to feel pretty special."

Fogg allowed three runs, five hits and two walks in five-plus innings.

But it was the Rockies bullpen which got noticed, after four relievers pitched hitless ball for the final four innings.

"They have some good arms down there and when you turn over a lead to some guys in a close game, you have to score off their bullpen and we didn't and they got a big hit off of Webby," Melvin said.

The combination of Affeldt, Manuel Corpas, LaTroy Hawkins and Fuentes also got Fogg's attention.

"I think the bullpen is one of the strengths of this team," Fogg said. "I think that coming into the season that's what we planned on."