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Rockies Hit 4 HRs In 6-3 Win Over Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Colorado hit four home runs, including a tiebreaking, two-run shot by Wilin Rosario in the seventh inning, and the Rockies beat the Orioles 6-3 Friday night to extend Baltimore's losing streak to four games.

Charlie Culberson, Charlie Blackmon and Todd Helton also homered for the Rockies, who have won six of seven. It was Culberson's first major league home run in 55 at-bats.

Juan Nicasio (7-6) allowed two runs, four hits and four walks over six innings to earn his first win in five starts since July 20. The right-hander yielded 15 runs over 14 innings in his previous three outings and was 0-3 with a 7.79 ERA in four interleague starts this season.

Wei-Yin Chen (6-6) retired 12 of his first 13 batters but couldn't get out of the seventh inning. He gave up four runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings in losing his third straight start. It was only the second time in 15 starts this season that Chen allowed more than three runs.

Nate McLouth and Matt Wieters homered for the Orioles, who were coming off three straight one-run defeats in Arizona and hoping to get back on track at home against a sub-.500 team. But the Rockies bounced back from a 2-0 deficit by scoring in the fifth through ninth innings.

With the score tied at 2 in the seventh, Chen walked leadoff hitter Michael Cuddyer and Rosario hit the left-hander's next pitch over the 25-foot scoreboard in right field.

Blackmon made it 5-2 in the eighth with a pinch-hit homer off Francisco Rodriguez. The drive landed on Eutaw Street, far beyond the right-field wall.

Helton connected in the ninth off struggling reliever Jim Johnson. It was the major league-leading 156th home run allowed by Baltimore this season.

Wieters homered in the bottom half against Rex Brothers.

The game started well for the Orioles. McLouth hit Nicasio's third pitch into the bleachers, his 12th career leadoff homer and second this year.

Baltimore went up 2-0 in the third when Adam Jones singled in a run to break an 0-for-15 skid. Nicasio then retired Nick Markakis and Wieters with the bases loaded.

Chen was in complete control early. After Troy Tulowitzki hit a one-out double in the first, the left-hander retired 10 straight batters before Rosario doubled leading off the fifth. One batter later, Nolan Arenado delivered an RBI single.

Culberson connected in the sixth to tie it at 2.

NOTES: Rodriguez left in the eighth inning with a strained right groin. ... Blackmon is 5 for 13 as a pinch hitter. ... Colorado RHP Rafael Betancourt, who hasn't pitched since having an emergency appendectomy on July 20, threw one inning for Triple-A Colorado Springs on Thursday night and is expected to arrive in Baltimore this weekend to discuss his status. When he's ready to go, Betancourt will step back into the closer role, manager Walt Weiss said. ... Baltimore pitching coach Rick Adair went on a leave of absence to resolve some personal issues and was replaced by bullpen coach Bill Castro. ... Bud Norris takes the mound for the Orioles on Saturday night in the second game of the series. Chad Bettis makes his fourth big league start for the Rockies. ... J.J. Hardy's 11-game hitting streak ended, as did teammate Brian Roberts' run of three straight multi-hit games for Baltimore.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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