Denver, CO – Jordan Pacheco and DJ LeMahieu hit home runs for Colorado, as the Rockies downed the Chicago Cubs, 7-5, to complete a three- game sweep at Coors Field.
Pacheco's three-run shot in the first and LeMahieu's two-run blast in the following frame gave Colorado a 5-1 lead. Chris Nelson and Matt McBride each added an RBI for the Rockies, who have won four in a row following a nine-game losing streak.
"The team is young. ... Hopefully we can finish the season strong and get some experience and show what we can do as a team," Pacheco said.
Jhoulys Chacin (3-5) pitched well enough to earn the victory. In five innings, he allowed three runs on seven hits and four walks, striking out two.
Chris Volstad (3-11) worked his shortest outing since May 17. Lasting just three innings, Volstad was shelled for seven runs on 10 hits for the Cubs, who lost for the 56th time this season on the road, tying a franchise record set in 1956.
Anthony Rizzo and Alfonso Soriano each drove in a run in the ninth to cut the Chicago deficit to two, but Rafael Betancourt retired the next three batters to earn his 31st save of the season.
"We were one hit away from tying the game," Cubs manager Dale Sveum said.
After Pacheco and LeMahieu plated five runs in the first two frames, the Rockies scored two more in the third. Pacheco led off the inning with a single, moved to third on Tyler Colvin's base hit and came around to score on Nelson's ground ball up the middle. Colvin advanced to third on Nelson's single and scored on McBride's sacrifice fly.
Trailing 3-0 after the first, Brett Jackson delivered a two-out RBI single in the second to cut into the Rockies' lead. Rizzo, who was 3-for-3 on the day, hit a solo homer in the following inning to make it 5-2.
With runners on first and second in the top of the fourth, Steve Clevenger grounded into a double play, but Castro, who drew a leadoff walk, advanced to third. Two batters later, Castro scored on Bryan LaHair's base hit to center to bring the Cubs within four.
Game Notes
Cubs' Darwin Barney tied the major league single-season record with his 141st consecutive errorless game at second base. Placido Polanco set the record back in 2007 with the Detroit Tigers ... Thursday's series finale was the final home game of the season for Colorado ... Nelson has 12 multi-hit games in his last 19 contests ... The Cubs are winless in 16 games at NL West ballparks this season.
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