Rockies Briefs TULOWITZKI TOO BUSY WITH DOUBLES TO HIT HOME RUNS

los angeles» Troy Tulowitzki’s 21 home runs in just 91 games last season ranked second on the team to Corey Dickerson’s 24.

But Tulo was a little late to the party this season. Tulowitzki on Friday notched his first home run — a line-drive solo shot to left field off Clayton Kershaw, no less.

Tulowitzki was the seventh Rockies hitter to homer. Nolan Arenado leads the team with three.

“I can always be better,” Tulowitzki said. “I’ll be the first one to tell you, if I have a great week, I’m not going to be satisfied. That’s just who I am and what I do.”

His slow start in the home run column is hardly an issue. What he lacks in over-the-wall power, Tulowitzki is making up for in line drives. His seven doubles before Saturday’s game led the team. He trailed only the Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez, who doubled twice in the series opener here Friday, with eight.

David Hale, who nearly pitched himself into the Rockies’ opening rotation before straining an oblique muscle, will pitch his first rehab start Monday for the Single-A Modesto Nuts against Visalia, manager Walt Weiss said.

John Axford’s 2-yearold son Jameson, who is recovering from a rattlesnake bite, left the intensive care unit for the first time in more than three weeks. He is in a Denver-area hospital. Nick Groke, The Denver Post