Eduardo Rodriguez, Diamondbacks cruise to win over Rockies

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jose Herrera homered, Eduardo Rodriguez tossed a season-high seven innings, and the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 8-2 in Denver on Thursday night.
Geraldo Perdomo and Alek Thomas had two hits each for Arizona, which has won six of its last seven and is 9-4 in August.
Rodriguez (5-7) kept Colorado hitters off balance for most of his outing, permitting one run on six hits, walking one and striking out six. His only mistake was a changeup to Kyle Farmer leading off the fifth inning that ended up in the left field stands.
Farmer finished with three hits, Brenton Doyle also went deep among his two hits and Tyler Freeman also had two hits for Colorado. The Rockies, who had their two-game winning streak snapped, have lost eight of their 10 games against the D-backs this season.
Arizona jumped on Colorado starter Bradley Blalock for three runs in the first inning.
Perdomo led off the game with a walk, and Blalock walked Corbin Carroll one out later. Gurriel then hit a 2-2 fastball into the Rockies’ bullpen to give the D-backs a 3-0 lead. It was his 15th of the season.
Thomas led off the second inning with a single, and one out later, Herrera hit his second home run of the year over the scoreboard in right.
Arizona tacked on two more in the fourth inning and chased Blalock. With two outs, Herrera walked, Perdomo singled to center and Ketel Marte lined a double off the wall in right field to bring home both runners.
That was all for Blalock (1-4), who allowed seven runs on six hits and walked four over 3 2/3 innings. He didn’t strike out a batter.
The D-backs added a run in the seventh off reliever Anthony Molina when Carroll lined a double to center to drive in Perdomo, who led off with a single.
Farmer’s sixth homer of the season was the only extra-base hit Rodriguez allowed.
Doyle led off the ninth against Jalen Beeks with his 11th homer of the season.
By taking the opener of a four-game series, the Diamondbacks pulled within 4 1/2 games of the New York Mets in the race for the final National League wild card.