The reborn Rockies continued their revival Tuesday night at frosty Coors Field.
Behind a quality performance from returning starter Rodrigo Lopez and a grand slam from Yorvit Torrealba, the Rockies beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-3 for their seventh consecutive victory.
The last time the Rockies had won seven in a row was Sept. 6-12, 1998.
Torrealba’s third career grand slam put the Rockies ahead 5-1 in the fourth inning. Cardinals starter Braden Looper loaded the bases with three consecutive walks and Torrealba made him pay, crushing a 2-2 pitch 432 feet to left-center field. It was the Rockies’ first grand slam of the season.
Lopez, making his first start since going on the disabled list April 18 with an inflamed right forearm, pitched six-plus innings, allowing three earned runs on six hits. He struck out seven and didn’t allow a walk.
Lopez threw 84 pitches and showed good command, although he left two pitches up in the zone that the Cardinals pounded over the fence. Scott Rolen led off the fifth with a solo homer to left and Jim Edmonds opened the seventh with a solo shot to center.
The Rockies’ celebration continued in the seventh when Brad Hawpe hit a two-run homer to right, giving the Rockies an 8-3 lead. It was Hawpe’s sixth homer in his past 10 starts.
The Rockies go after their eighth straight victory tonight, something they’ve done just twice in franchise history.
The longest winning streak in franchise history is nine games, set from Aug. 26 to Sept. 5, 1997.
