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Rockies keep rolling, topple Giants

Aug 27, 2008 - 6:20 AM By Al Barba PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Jorge De La Rosa tossed six solid innings and Brad Hawpe had two hits and scored three runs as the Colorado Rockies extending their winning streak to four games with a 7-2 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

The Rockies (63-71), who have captured nine of their last 11, have moved within six games of the first-place Arizona Diamondbacks (68-64) in the National League West.

After laboring through 58 pitches in the first two innings, De La Rosa (7-7) righted himself and finished strong. He allowed two runs - one earned - and five hits while walking three and striking out three.

"I just stopped watching," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said of the first few innings. "Let him paint his own picture. Make the move you've got make. Give him some rope and let him go out and pitch. That's a credit to him that he was able to battle and get through six innings."

Former Giants farmhand Jason Grilli tossed the final three innings to record his first career save. Grilli, who began his professional career in 1998, was a starter until the Detroit Tigers made him a reliever in 2006.

"I never got the the opportunity. I was thankful they let me go out there and finish it off because I felt good," Grilli said. "I had good stuff. To be able to do it in the park against the organization that drafted me and the irony. I had never pitched here.

"It's just kind of nice to come back. This is the last major league stadium that I haven't been in. This is one of my favorite ballparks now that I've been here. It's got awesome nostalgia and everything. I've definitely come full circle."

Giants rookie Matt Palmer had a rough outing for the second time in three career starts. Following the game, he was optioned to Class AAA Fresno.

Replacing the injured Jonathan Sanchez in the rotation, Palmer (0-2) struggled throwing strikes, yielding five runs, four hits and six walks in 4 1/3 innings with one strikeout in an 86-pitch effort.

"The walks hurt us and we hit a batter," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "We were pitching behind, (the) relievers, too. It makes it a little tough when you are putting guys on base and giving them added opportunities. That is something we have to get better at."

After Randy Winn gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the second with an RBI double, the Rockies took command in the third, scoring four times to take a 4-1 advantage.

Colorado sent nine batters to the plate, taking advantage of an error, two walks and three hits. Garrett Atkins and Chris Iannetta had two-run singles.

"We actually hit the ball hard a number of times," Hurdle said. "Those two hits (Atkins and Ianetta) were big. The pieces are starting to come together for us."

De La Rosa's only other difficulty came in the fourth, when San Francisco managed to scratch across an unearned run.

Colorado added to its lead with a run in the fifth and two more in the seventh. Troy Tulowitzki hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth and Ian Stewart, who reached base four times, delivered an RBI single two frames later and scored on a base hit by Tulowitzki.

The Giants had their streak of three consecutive winning series snapped with the loss.