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Rockies Nix Cardinals in opener

Apr 2, 2008 - 4:24 AM ST. LOUIS (Ticker) -- Rookie Jayson Nix drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as the Colorado Rockies defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1, on Tuesday night.

The game marked the season opener for both teams after rain washed out Monday's scheduled Opening Day with the Cardinals leading by four runs in the third inning.

Troy Tulowitzki went 3-for-3 and Todd Helton 2-for-4 for the Rockies, who pushed across the tying run on third baseman Troy Glaus' throwing error before Nix picked up his first career RBI with the walk against Randy Flores, the fifth of six St. Louis pitchers.

"I'm happy that I was able to come through," Nix said. "I was just trying to stay disciplined and wait until I got my pitch. And I never got it; that's why I didn't swing. I knew it was a big at-bat and we were in a position to take the lead right there."

Catcher Yadier Molina staked the Cardinals to a 1-0 lead with a solo home run off Rockies starter Kip Wells in the fifth inning.

"It was a good game for them and it was a good game for us," Molina said. "We pitched great. The offense wasn't there but we have to come tomorrow and the next day to win the series."

Each team managed six hits apiece in an unexpected pitchers' duel between St. Louis' Kyle Lohse and Wells, who each were coming off sub-par seasons with different organizations in 2007.

A free agent, Lohse went 9-12 last year and did not sign with the Cardinals until mid-March. Wells, on the other hand, recently was demoted to the bullpen and earned the spot start Tuesday only because Monday's season opener was rained out.

Wells worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing the homer by Molina among his four hits. He struck out three and walked three.

"Obviously my expectations were to go out there and pitch well so it wasn't a surprise," Wells said. "This being technically the first game, you want to give the team a chance to win."

Taylor Buchholz (1-0) got the win despite allowing two hits. He was one of three relievers that bridged the cap to closer Manny Corpas, who set down the side in order in the ninth for the save.

"It was a good night for our team," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "If you can pitch and play good defense, you give yourself opportunities to stay in games and win games when the other team doesn't convert."

Lohse tossed five scoreless innings, yielding three hits while also striking out three and walking three.

"I felt like I threw the ball pretty well," Lohse said. "Unfortunately we didn't win it. I just tried to keep the ball out of the middle of the zone and it worked out."

The Rockies finally broke through against Ryan Franklin (0-1) in the eighth. Tulowitzki led off with a single and moved to third on Helton's ground-rule double.

That brought up Matt Holliday, the National League's RBI leader in 2007. Holliday hit a slow roller to Glaus, who threw wildly past home trying to get Tulowitzki at the plate to tie it at 1-1.

"You see a slow roller and you just have to put pressure on the defense," Tulowitzki said. "We were struggling getting runners in the whole night and I thought it was a good time to take a chance."

After Garrett Atkins walked to load the bases with no outs, Flores came on and struck Brad Hawpe and Yorvit Torrealba, but Nix drew the walk to force in the decisive run.

"It's disappointing man," Franklin said. "It's not the way you want to start off. One positive thing is that we have another 161 more games."