Russell, Cubs continue series vs. Rockies

Share

Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Posted: 10:47 a.m.

(AP) -- The Colorado Rockies haven't been hitting well recently, but if the Chicago Cubs are as sloppy defensively as they were in the last game, it might not matter.

The Rockies will try to win their third straight against the Cubs when the teams continue their series Tuesday night in Chicago.

Colorado (15-7) won seven straight April 9-15, but is 4-5 since, failing to win back-to-back games during that stretch.

The Rockies have a chance to do that after Monday's 5-3 victory over the Cubs (10-12). They scored four unearned runs off Matt Garza, taking advantage of three errors by Starlin Castro in the second inning and one by Garza in the fifth that allowed the go-ahead run to score.

READ: Game slips out of Castro's hands

"We lost tonight because I couldn't throw the ball to first base," Garza said.

Colorado was 0 for 8 with runners in scoring position and had only four hits, including three singles. The team is batting .139 during the first four games of its road trip while scoring 12 runs.

Carlos Gonzalez had another rough game, going 0 for 4. He's hitless in his last 21 at-bats, dropping his average to .217 after it was .333 on April 9.

Jorge De La Rosa (3-0, 3.00 ERA), who is looking to extend the best start of his career, will take the mound Tuesday for the Rockies as they try to win consecutive games at Wrigley Field for the first time since 2006.

De La Rosa, who had 16 victories in 2009 but just eight last year, had another strong outing Wednesday, giving up two runs and four hits in a season-high seven innings of a 10-2 victory against San Francisco. He struck out six as he recorded his first quality start of the year.

READ: Kaplan reveals the reason for Soriano's solid start

"Very good stuff today," he said. "We needed this. I hope we can stay playing like we did today."

De La Rosa is 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA in six appearances against the Cubs. He's made only two starts against them, including one last season in which he allowed three runs and eight hits in 6 2-3 innings of an 8-7 victory Aug. 1.

Chicago, which has seven errors in its last three contests, has lost four of five, stranding 20 baserunners the last two games - including 12 on Monday.

Kosuke Fukudome had five of his team's 11 hits in the defeat, but the Cubs went 0 for 10 with runners in scoring position. Castro was 0 for 5 after going hitless in four at-bats Sunday.

FOLLOW: Cubs insider Patrick Mooney on Twitter

Before Monday's loss, the Cubs had won 11 of 12 at home against the Rockies, but they dropped two of three in Denver from April 15-17.

James Russell (1-2, 8.00) will make his third start for the Cubs on Tuesday due to injuries. He allowed four runs and seven hits - three of which were homers - in four-plus innings of a 5-4 loss to San Diego on Wednesday, falling to 0-2 with a 12.71 ERA in two starts.

The left-hander has made five career relief appearances against the Rockies, including 1 1-3 scoreless innings over two this season.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Contact Us