DENVER -- On a day when he was rewarded for defense, Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu made the big hits.
LeMahieu went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a tie-breaking, two-run, eighth-inning single to touch off a six-run inning and lift the Rockies to a 10-4 victory over the White Sox at Coors Field on Wednesday in front of 22,745.
LeMahieu also scored twice as the Rockies won the decider of a three-game Interleague set. For the Rockies (5-5), who went 4-2 on their first homestand of the season, it was a rousing send-off for their first National League West road trip -- three games in San Francisco starting Friday, followed by three in San Diego.
 
Six-run eighth rallies Rockies to 10-4 win over White Sox
 
Justin Morneau, who reached four times, opened the eighth with his second hit -- a single off Mikael Cleto (0-1). Nolan Arenado singled off Ronald Belisario and, after Charlie Culberson's sacrifice bunt, LeMahieu lined Belisario's first-pitch fastball into right field to score both runners.
Josh Rutledge, called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs before the game as righty reliever Wilton Lopez was sent down, added an RBI single. Michael Cuddyer's single drove in a run and extended his hit streak to 10 games -- his career-long to start a season. Carlos Gonzalez, who added three hits, drove in two more runs with a double against Jake Petricka.
The rally made a winner of Rex Brothers (1-0), who pitched a perfect eighth as part of clutch bullpen work. Matt Belisle set down all three hitters in the sixth with a one-run deficit. Adam Ottavino struck out one while retiring all four hitters he faced.
Rockies starter Juan Nicasio was not hit hard, but the hits were plentiful -- eight in five innings. Nicasio struck out six, but also had two walks. The 95 pitches drove him from the game before he would have liked more so than the hits.
White Sox rookie right-hander Erik Johnson had a similar outing, giving up nine hits in 5 2/3 innings. Five hits came from Rockies left-handed batters -- a triple and a single from Charlie Blackmon, two singles from Gonzalez, and a sixth-inning double from Morneau, who ended up at third on left fielder Dayan Viciedo's error.
Johnson nearly escaped after Morneau's hit. Arenado and Culberson couldn't get the ball out of the infield. But LeMahieu's soft liner fell in front of right fielder Avisail Garcia, who sustained a jammed left shoulder on the play. LeMahieu took second as Garcia rolled in pain.
Preliminary X-rays on Garcia's shoulder were negative for a fracture, dislocation or separation. Also, Belisario suffered lower-back tightness.
Thomas Harding / MLB.com
 

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