Rockies Top Padres 10-2
The Colorado Rockies (30-46) treated 42,785 fans to fireworks and a 10-2 win over the visiting San Diego Padres (28-50) last night in Denver. With the victory, Colorado starter Jeff Francis moved to third on the Rockies' all-time win list. Game 2 of the three-game series is tonight at 5:15 at Coors Field (TV: FOX).
Francis (1-1), who pitched for the Rockies 2004-10, went to the Royals last season and returned this month after a Triple-A stint with the Reds, earned his 56th victory in a Rockies uniform to tie Ubaldo Jimenez for third on the club's career wins list.
Although Francis won Friday for just the first time in his five starts, it was the fourth straight victory in his outings for a Rockies club that has won just six of its last 21 games, and has won consecutive games for the first time since June 3 against the Dodgers and June 4 against the D-backs.
Francis also was the first Rockies starter to win since Christian Friedrich on June 4.
Most important, he has posted a 1.69 ERA in the last three -- all coming after the Rockies went to a four-man rotation, with a modest pitch count of around 75, to the head-scratching not only of traditionalist fans, but many in the baseball world.
Official: Friday's Box Score.
The broke out with a four-run bottom of the sixth against Padres starter Jason Marquis (3-8) -- which included Carlos Gonzalez extending his hit streak to eight games with a triple, then scoring on Logan Forsythe's wild throw on the same play, Michael Cuddyer's double and Tyler Colvin's RBI triple.
The Rockies extended the lead with a pair of two-run homers in the eighth off Alex Hinshaw -- by Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario, the 12th of the season for both.
Cuddyer's 2-for-4 night came after he had gone 2-for-12 in the four-game split with the Nationals. Marco Scutaro went 2-for-3 and is 7-for-16 (.438) during the homestand.
"We'll score runs, I've said that all year long," Rockies' manager Jim Tracy said. "When you get someone who pitches in the manner in which Jeff Francis did, you put yourself in a favorable position on most nights."
Tickets are available for this tonight’s game at Coors Field vs. the San Diego Padres, and can be purchased by calling (800) 388-ROCK, or click here.
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