PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The best offense in the majors is suddenly in a slump.
Jhoulys Chacin gave up four runs and seven hits in five-plus innings as the Colorado Rockies were shut out for the second straight game, losing 9-0 to the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday.
The Rockies are first in the majors in runs (262) and batting average (.291), but haven’t scored in 20 innings. They lost 7-0 at Atlanta on Sunday.
“We’re on one of those runs where things aren’t going our way,” Carlos Gonzalez said. “Just have to make adjustments and get going tomorrow.”
Facing a team that was no-hit by Josh Beckett on Sunday, Chacin (0-4) couldn’t snap his losing streak. He has dropped five straight decisions dating to last season.
“I felt fine and my pitches were moving pretty good,” Chacin said.
Ryan Howard had five RBIs and Kyle Kendrick pitched into the seventh inning to end his 10-game skid. Leadoff man Ben Revere started with a single for the first of Philadelphia’s 12 hits.
Kendrick (1-5) allowed six hits over 6 2-3 innings to earn his first win since last Aug. 6, a span of 16 winless starts.
Mike Adams relieved Kendrick and fanned Troy Tulowitzki with two on to end the seventh in a 4-0 game. Antonio Bastardo and Justin De Fratus finished off the seven-hitter.
“We hit some balls well early, but couldn’t put together an inning,” Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. “Then the game got away from us.”
Weiss might tinker with his lineup to see if he can get Colorado back on track.
“We have some options,” he said. “It was one game, an ugly one, but we’ll just block it out and get ready for tomorrow.”
The key for Kendrick was getting through the first inning scoreless. He didn’t allow a run in the first for the first time in five starts after giving up nine total runs in the opening frame in his previous four outings.
Chase Utley got the Phillies going in the fourth by reaching on an infield single with two outs. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored when Howard lined a single to right, snapping Philadelphia’s 15-inning scoreless streak. Howard was 0 for 17 before the hit.
The Phillies hustled out a run in the fifth. Domonic Brown walked and sprinted to third on Carlos Ruiz’s single to left. Two outs later, Revere dove headfirst into first base to beat out an infield single and give the Phillies a 2-0 lead.
Kendrick escaped a two-out jam in the sixth, retiring Josh Rutledge on a foul pop to leave runners at second and third.
Howard connected in the sixth, sending a drive into the right-center stands for his eighth homer and a 4-0 lead. Utley hit an RBI double in the seventh and Howard followed with a two-run single.
“I didn’t execute well to Howard,” Chacin said.
Pinch-hitter John Mayberry Jr. capped the scoring outburst with a two-run shot.
NOTES: Chacin didn’t have a wild pitch this season before throwing three in the fourth inning. … Charlie Culberson made his third straight start for injured Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado. … Colorado was shut out for the third time this season. … LHP Jorge De La Rosa (5-3) goes for the Rockies against LHP Cole Hamels (1-2, 4.30 ERA) on Tuesday night.
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