Diamondbacks 5 - 1 Rockies
Final
  for this game

De La Rosa sharp, Arizona beats Rockies 5-1 for 5th straight

May 11, 2016 - 5:10 AM DENVER (AP) Rubby De La Rosa takes a reliever's mentality into his starting role. All he wants to do is get through one inning.

Simple. Effective, too.

The hard-throwing righty took a shutout into the eighth before running out of steam, Paul Goldschmidt homered and the Arizona Diamondbacks won their fifth straight game by beating the Colorado Rockies 5-1 on Tuesday night.

De La Rosa (4-4) handcuffed the Rockies for 7 1/3 innings with a fastball that routinely touched 95 mph. He allowed four hits and struck out six. The only run he allowed was on a wild pitch.

''I think right now that every inning I'm coming in from the bullpen,'' said De La Rosa, who spent some time in the bullpen earlier this season. ''Go in there and try to get three hitters and (sit) back down.''

His best pitch all night was, well, ''everything,'' he said.

''Everything was perfect,'' De La Rosa added.

Even right down to the execution of his game plan. His goal was to pitch the Rockies inside and then mix in some sliders.

''Very impressive,'' Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said.

Same goes for De La Rosa's safety squeeze bunt in the sixth. It was his first RBI of the season and part of a four-run inning that broke open the game.

''I feel like I'm a good bunter,'' De La Rosa said.

Chris Rusin (1-1) was cruising along until he unraveled in the sixth. He allowed four runs and 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings as the Rockies dropped their seventh straight game at Coors Field - their longest skid at home since 2012. The team record is nine in a row in 1993.

''We just haven't played very well at home. It's frustrating,'' second baseman DJ LeMahieu said. ''We played real well on the road. It's the total opposite of how we normally are.''

Yasmany Tomas played a big role in his return to the lineup after missing four games with a sore neck. And while he had three hits, it was Tomas' intentional walk in the sixth paved the way for the breakout inning. After that, it went like this: Chris Owings' run-scoring double, Nick Ahmed's RBI single, De La Rosa brought in a run on a sacrifice bunt and finally Jean Segura's RBI single.

Goldschmidt's towering solo homer in the seventh marked the 43rd straight game he's reached base against the Rockies. It's the fourth-longest streak versus Colorado. The top mark belongs to Mike Piazza, who reached base in 48 straight games against Colorado from July 1995 to September 1999.

The Diamondbacks first baseman made some adjustments in the batting cage the day before and it paid off in a big way. Asked what kind of changes he made, Hale played coy.

''We'll keep that to ourselves,'' Hale said, smiling.

Charlie Blackmon had a single to lead off the game. After that, Colorado mustered only three more off De La Rosa before he handed things over to the bullpen.

''I just try to help my team win a lot of games - a lot more opportunity to go to playoffs and go to the championship,'' De La Rosa said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Diamondbacks: OF David Peralta was out of the lineup for another game with a sore right forearm. If he's not better Wednesday, the Diamondbacks are going to schedule a doctor's appointment.

Rockies: LHP Jorge De La Rosa (strained left groin) said he felt good a day after a rehab start for Triple-A Albuquerque. The plan is for him to make one more minor league start before his return.

STRONG ARM

Right fielder Carlos Gonzalez saved a run in the fourth by sending a two-hop throw to catcher Tony Wolters, who tagged out Tomas. The Diamondbacks challenged the play as a violation of the home plate collision rule, but the call stood.

BOURN AGAIN

The Diamondbacks agreed to terms on a minor league contract with outfielder Michael Bourn and assigned him to Double-A Mobile. The 33-year-old was released by Toronto over the weekend.

''Just see if he can get his game together,'' Hale said. ''If in two or three weeks from now we feel like he can help us win games, we'll bring him here.''

UP NEXT

Diamondbacks: LHP Robbie Ray (1-2) is 1-0 with a 1.54 ERA at Coors Field.

Rockies: RHP Chad Bettis (3-2) has thrown six or more innings in six straight starts.






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