Rockies use fast start to beat Giants, 8-6

Carlos Gonzalez hit a two-run homer and the Colorado Rockies scored five times in 1⅓ innings against prized San Francisco Giants free-agent acquisition Johnny Cueto en route to an 8-6 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Scottsdale Stadium.

Gonzalez saw just two pitches from Cueto. One was a 1-0 fastball that the star outfielder lined over the right-center field wall to score DJ LeMahieu and put the Rockies up, 2-0. Colorado scored three more times off of Cueto, capping a three-run second inning with Gerardo Parra's two-run single.

CarGo finished the day with two hits, as did Mark Reynolds and Daniel Descalso, who entered the game 0-for-10 this spring. Nolan Arenado and Kyle Parker each added a hit and an RBI for the Rockies, who jumped out to an 8-0 lead after five innings.

Eddie Butler started the game for the Rockies and tossed three scoreless frames, allowing just two hits and a walk while striking out one. Butler induced four ground outs, including a double play that got in the way of a potential Giants rally in the second inning.

Relievers Jake McGee and Chad Qualls, acquired by the Rockies during the offseason, made their Cactus League debuts on Wednesday. McGee struck out two batters in a perfect sixth. Qualls didn't have quite as much success, allowing two runs on two hits in a walk in his lone inning of work.

Jason Gurka was responsible for the feat of the game. The lefty reliever struck out four batters in a scoreless, hitless eighth. After Mac Williamson whiffed to start the inning, Rando Moreno reached on his punch out -- which came with one out in the inning -- as a result of one of two wild pitches thrown by Gurka. Moreno was stranded at second after Gurka bounced back to get Gorkys Hernandez looking and Andrew Susac swinging.

The Rockies will return to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday to face the Cincinnati Reds. Jorge De La Rosa, the scheduled starter for Colorado, is set to make his first Cactus League appearance.