Rockies rally past Cubs

Denver, CO (Sports Network) - Troy Tulowitzki homered and broke a tie with a two-run double in the sixth inning as the Rockies salvaged a four-game series split with the Cubs, winning 6-3.

Matt Herges (1-0) pitched 2 2/3 innings of perfect relief to earn the win for the Rockies. The veteran long reliever came on in the fourth after the Cubs had knocked out Tim Harikkala, who was making his first start of the season. Herges slammed the door on a Cubs threat in the fourth, and then combined with three other Rockies relievers to keep Chicago off the basepaths entirely until Jason Kendall worked a walk off Manny Corpas in the ninth.

Colorado has now won 10 of its last 15, and finished a seven-game homestand 5-2.

Kerry Wood (0-1) took the loss for the Cubs, allowing his first runs of the season. Wood relieved starter Sean Marshall in the sixth, only to allow three earned runs on two hits and a pair of walks.

Mark DeRosa and Mike Fontenot each went 2-for-4 with a run scored for the Cubs, who failed to capitalize on opportunities against Harikkala before being squeezed by the Rockies bullpen.

The Cubs have now lost six of eight, despite taking the first two games of the series in Colorado. They remain just a game and a half behind Milwaukee in the National League Central race though, following the Brewers' loss in Houston.

The Rockies took a 2-0 lead in the second thanks to Clint Barmes' RBI double and Harikkala's first career hit, an infield single that deflected off Marshall's glove and scored Barmes.

Chicago answered in the bottom half of the fourth with three runs to take a short-lived 3-2 lead. DeRosa led off the inning with his second hit of the game, and Fontenot followed with a single to right. Kendall then scored DeRosa with a fake bunt hit-and-run that resulted in a ground ball single to left. Felix Pie hit a sharp ground ball down the first base line that Todd Helton gloved for a force out, but not before Fontenot scored to tie the game.

After Ryan Theriot's single scored Kendall to give the Cubs the lead, Harikkala was lifted for Herges. The right-hander then got Jacque Jones to roll over a 1-1 curve ball that second baseman Kaz Matsui flipped to Tulowitzki to start the rally-killing double play.

Tulowitzki got the run back for the Rockies in his next at-bat, when he jumped on an inside curve ball from Marshall that landed just fair down the left field line for his 15th home run of the year. Herges then retired the Cubs in order in the top of the sixth.

Wood started the bottom half without trouble, getting pinch-hitter Cory Sullivan to fly out for the first out.

But Geronimo Gil worked a walk, and Colorado substituted rookie Ian Stewart, who had made his Major League debut the night before, to pinch-hit for Herges. Stewart one-hopped the right field fence for a double and his first career hit, and Gil moved around to third. After the Cubs opted to intentionally walk Matsui to load the bases, Tulowitzki made them pay by smashing a 2-1 fastball from Wood off the wall in right, missing his second home run by a few feet. Gil and Stewart came around to score on the play, giving the Rocks a 5-3 lead.

Tulowitzki did not downplay the significance of the tie-breaking double.

"For right now, it's the biggest hit I've had," said the rookie shortstop. "For us being in a pennant race and my being able to contribute, it's huge for myself, and helps the team a lot, too."

Matt Holliday provided an extra run when he grounded a ball up the middle that was gloved on a diving stop by Theriot, scoring Matsui.

Asked if his comeback from the disabled list is a work in progress, Wood answered, "I hope not. Today I just didn't get ahead of guys, and got behind in the count a lot."

The Cubs had three chances to get back in the game following Colorado's sixth inning outburst, but LaTroy Hawkins, Jorge Julio, and Corpas threw scoreless seventh, eighth, and ninth innings, respectively, with Corpas picking up his ninth save of the season.

Game Notes

Tulowitzki's 15 home runs equal the second most in a season by a Rockies rookie...Corpas is now 9-for-9 in save opportunities since filling in for injured closer Brian Fuentes...Matsui stole his 23rd base in 25 tries...Jones made a pair of fine running catches in right field to save runs...Colorado left nine runners on base...Tulowitzki matched his career- high of three RBI for the second straight game...The Rockies bullpen has now tossed 6 2/3 consecutive shutout innings against the Cubs...Sunday's game was the 20th in 20 days for the Cubs, who went 9-11 over that span...Fontenot is a career .448 hitter against the Rockies...Colorado is now undefeated (9-0-1 with the split) in its last 10 series at Coors Field.

08/12 18:24:41 ET