Rockies 9, Cubs 4: CarGo powers Rockies to big win

Carlos Gonzalez had a career night, going 5-for-5 with a pair of home runs and Jeff Francis allowed just one run in six innings of work as the Colorado Rockies beat the Chicago Cubs, 9-4, last night.

Eric Young Jr. started the game off with a bang, leading off the first inning with a double to left field, he was brought home by Gonzalez's single two batters later, giving the Rockies a 1-0 lead. Young struck again in the second, hitting his first home run of the year, a two-run shot to center off Cubs starter Carlos Villanueva, to extend the Rockies lead to 4-0.

Gonzalez extended the lead to 5-0 when he led off the third with a home run off of Villanueva, his eighth of the season.

The Rockies extended the lead to 7-0 in the top of the fifth thanks to back-to-back doubles from Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki and an RBI single from Todd Helton.

Francis, meanwhile, was cruising, he didn't allow a run until the bottom of the fifth on Darwin Barney's solo home run. Francis allowed just one run on three hits in his six innings of work, walking just one and striking out seven.

The Cubs cut the Rockies lead to 7-3 thanks to a pair of unearned runs against Edgmer Escalona in the bottom of the eighth, but Gonzalez got one back on his second home run of the night and ninth of the season and Helton's sacrifice fly again extended the Rockies lead to six runs.

The Cubs scratched out a run against Rafael Betancourt in the bottom of the ninth, but the Rockies' closer finished the inning and the game.

The Rockies will look for a series win tonight as Jon Garland takes on Jeff Samarzidja.