• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Holliday, Rockies roll past Cardinals

May 8, 2008 - 11:32 PM DENVER (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies used a fast start to make sure they didn't need any late-inning heroics on Thursday.

Matt Holliday had four hits and scored three runs and Chris Ianetta drove in a pair as the Colorado Rockies posted a 9-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Jorge De La Rosa (1-1) pitched 5 2/3 solid innings to pick up his first win with the Rockies, who earned a split of the four-game series.

Colorado had lost a pair of one-run games to St. Louis before scoring four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday, escaping with a 4-3 victory.

But on Thursday, the Rockies took control of the game early, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning to lead the game from start to finish.

"I thought we built some momentum (Wednesday)," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "We got it off the mound in the first inning with a very efficient first inning for Jorge.

"Offensively, it was something that we've been dealing with - we were able to throw out two outs and nobody on and throw four runs with some big two-out hits, good at-bats. That got us out where we needed to be for a change."

With two outs, Holliday reached on an infield single to third base and Todd Helton followed with an RBI double to right, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead.

"It's important (carrying over the momentum)," Helton said. "When things are going bad, it just seems to snowball. Hopefully it goes the other way too."

Garrett Atkins and Ryan Spilborghs then walked to load the bases, and Ianetta singled to right-center, driving in two more runs. Clint Barmes followed with an RBI double, extending the Rockies' lead to 4-0.

"That inning got away, but it was only the first inning," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. "We had chances."

After Ryan Ludwick homered for St. Louis in the second, the Rockies again loaded the bases in the bottom of the third. De La Rosa drove in a run with an RBI groundout to first, as Colorado regained its four-run bulge.

Atkins and Spilborghs each added a sacrifice fly in the fourth, giving the Rockies a comfortable 7-1 lead after four innings.

Making his second start for Colorado, De La Rosa made the advantage stand up, allowing two runs and five hits over his outing. The lefthander walked one and struck out five, earning his first win since July 26, 2007.

"Everything was different today," De La Rosa said. "I had been working in the bullpen this week, working to keep the ball down and it made my pitches very good today.

"It helped a lot, the good run support. You can pitch more relaxed."

Ludwick blasted his second home run in the eighth to cut the Cardinals' deficit to 7-3.

But the Rockies answered, as Atkins delivered an RBI double off the top of the left field wall in the bottom half of the frame. Holliday also scored on a wild pitch in the inning, capping Colorado's outburst.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse (3-2) was knocked around for his second straight outing, allowing seven runs and eight hits in four innings. The righthander walked five and struck out four.