Gray and Rocks hand Phils 5th straight loss

DENVER » Jon Gray pitched seven innings of one-run ball, Pat Valaika homered and the Colorado Rockies rode a big early lead to an 8-5 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.

Gerardo Parra added three hits and two RBIs for the Rockies who won for the fourth time in five games.

Daniel Nava homered, tripled and singled to finish a double shy of the cycle for the Phillies, who fell to 0-5 on their eight-game road trip.

Gray (4-2) allowed six hits and struck out four, giving the Rockies a quality start the night after they had to lean on their bullpen when starter Kyle Freeland was forced to leave in the first inning because of a left groin strain.

Trailing by seven runs, the Phillies got a three-run homer from Nava in the eighth inning off reliever Zac Rosscup, pulling within 8-4.

Pat Neshek finished up, allowing an RBI single by Freddy Galvis in the ninth in his first appearance against his former team since Rockies acquired him.

The Rockies batted around in the first inning and Nick Pivetta (4-7) did himself no favors by walking leadoff man Charlie Blackmon, and then hitting D.J. LeMahieu with a pitch before Nolan Arenado singled to load the bases. Parra followed with another single and Pivetta trailed 2-0 before recording an out.

A fielding error by first baseman Tommy Joseph opened the door to two unearned runs during the Rockies’ five-run first which also included a sacrifice fly by Jonathan Lucroy and an RBI single by Valaika.

Colorado pulled in front 8-0, tacking on three more runs in the third when Valaika hit a two-run homer and Carlos Gonzalez had a sacrifice fly.

Philadelphia’s first run didn’t come until the fourth on Nick Williams’double-play grounder. The Phillies loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth but first baseman Mark Reynolds made a diving catch of Galvis’ liner. the