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Rockies take down Astros

Aug 23, 2011 - 4:18 AM Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Jhoulys Chacin pitched seven innings and his two-run double capped a six-run opening frame against Brett Myers, on the way to a 9-5 Colorado triumph over the Houston Astros in the opener of a three- game series.

Carlos Gonzalez continued his hot hitting with a homer and three RBI for the Rockies, who have put together three straight wins for the first time since July 27-30.

Chacin (10-10) gave up 11 hits, but just one run to win for only the second time in his last 12 starts.

"Because of walking only one guy and getting outs when he needed them, when there was some traffic out there, he turns it into a very good outing," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "The message there is obviously, base on balls, mixed in with the hits that they got during the course of his time out there ... I think it would have been a completely different situation out there."

Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 10 games. He has an RBI in seven consecutive contests, tying a career-high. Over those seven contests, Gonzalez has driven in 14 runs.

The Rockies entered the ninth with a 9-1 lead, but Matt Downs belted a pinch- hit, three-run homer off J.C. Romero. Colorado was forced to use three pitchers in the ninth with Rafael Betancourt notching his third save.

Brian Bogusevic homered among his three hits for Houston, which has lost two straight following a four-game winning streak.

Myers (3-13) was charged with nine hits and seven runs over five innings and lost his seventh straight decision. The right-hander, who hasn't won since June 17 against the Dodgers, a span of 12 starts, entered the night 7-0 in his career vs. the Rockies.

"He was really having problems locating his pitches and making them," Houston manager Brad Mills said. "He came back and gave up the home run in the second, but after that he made some adjustments. He kind of shut them down the rest of the time."

J.D. Martinez hit a ground-rule-double with one out before Josh Roenicke took over on the mound in the ninth. He walked Carlos Lee and Bogusevic. Betancourt gave up a sacrifice fly to Jimmy Paredes, but former Rockie Clint Barmes fanned to end the game.

Myers walked Eric Young Jr. to start the bottom of the first and Dexter Fowler followed with the first of four doubles in the inning. Gonzalez hit a two-run double to right field. Todd Helton and Mark Ellis added RBI singles later in the frame, and Chacin recorded the first two-bagger of his career, a gapper to left-center field for the 6-0 cushion.

Gonzalez homered down the right field line in the second before Bogusevic launched one to left to open the fourth.

Chris Nelson's pinch-hit, two-run single made it 9-1 in the eighth.

Game Notes

The Rockies beat the Astros for just the fourth time in the last 13 meetings...Despite the fact that he missed the first five games of the month on the disabled list, Gonzalez has 23 RBI in August over just 16 games...The Astros activated outfielder Jordan Schafer from the 15-day disabled list. He batted leadoff and went 0-for-4.