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Ellis, Rockies outslug Royals

Jul 3, 2011 - 5:07 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Mark Ellis finished 3-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored as Colorado outslugged Kansas City, 9-6, in the second of this three-game interleague set.

Troy Tulowitzki hit a solo homer and drove in two runs, while Todd Helton added two hits and knocked in a pair for the Rockies, who have won the first two games in the series after taking only two of their previous eight.

Ellis, who was traded from Oakland on Thursday, has gone 6-for-10 with five RBI in his first two games with Colorado.

Greg Reynolds (3-0) worked five innings for the win, giving up eight hits and five runs. He was recalled from Triple-A Colorado Springs after scheduled starter Jhoulys Chacin had his Saturday start pushed back to Tuesday due to tightness in his right forearm.

"When they need someone they look my way, which is a good thing," said Reynolds. "To contribute to this team and just be in this clubhouse is a great honor, and I want to continue doing that."

Wilson Betemit slugged a three-run homer and Alex Gordon ended with a solo blast among his four hits, two RBI and two runs scored for the Royals, who skidded to their 11th loss in 13 outings.

Kyle Davies (1-7), was charged in defeat with eight hits and seven runs -- four earned -- over three full frames.

"I didn't get the ball down very good tonight. They put the ball in play, which you have to give them credit for," said Davies. "I just never got the ball down to knee-high, and they made me pay for it."

Colorado took control of the game for good with a six-run second inning, sending 11 men to the plate and increasing its lead to 7-0.

Seth Smith began the frame with a double and scored when Ty Wigginton followed with a two-base hit. Davies threw away Charlie Blackmon's sacrifice attempt to put runners on the corners, then Chris Iannetta drove in Wigginton. Reynolds laid down a sac bunt and Carlos Gonzalez was given a free pass to load the bases, then Ellis' double scored two runs, Helton's sac fly brought in another and Tulowitzki's base hit plated Ellis.

Jeff Francoeur's RBI triple got the Royals on the board in the third, and Betemit's three-run blast got KC within 7-4 in the fourth, but Ellis hit a leadoff double in Colorado's turn and scored on a Smith sac fly.

Gordon's leadoff homer in the fifth brought the visitors back within three, only to be countered by Tulowitzki's leadoff shot in the sixth.

In the ninth, Rafael Betancourt served up a two-out double to Melky Cabrera and a run-scoring single from Gordon to make it a 9-6 game, but Huston Street retired Francoeur on a pop-up to end the game and earn his 24th save.

Gonzalez singled, stole second and scored on a Helton base hit in the Rockies' first.

Game Notes

The Rockies have topped the Royals in four of their last five meetings since last May...Iannetta finished with three hits, while Gonzalez and Smith each hit safely twice for Colorado...Cabrera, Brayan Pena and Alcides Escobar collected two hits apiece for Kansas City...Helton hit his 543rd career double, tying him with Tony Gwynn for 24th on the all-time list.