D-backs can't climb out of hole after Delgado start

DENVER -- Two continents, two states. It seems wherever the D-backs go, they can't shake their early-season funk.

The D-backs came to the Mile High City hoping a change of scenery would provide a fresh start after dropping a pair of games to the Dodgers in Australia and three of four to the Giants at home.

Instead, it was more of the same, as the Rockies roughed up starter Randall Delgado en route to a 12-2 win over the D-backs in front of an Opening Day sellout crowd of 49,130 at Coors Field.

It was a chilly 48 degrees when Juan Nicasio threw the game's first pitch, but the right-hander had little trouble getting warm.

"He started out early keeping the ball down, his fastball down," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson. "I think he felt comfortable, and then he started working his way into a slider."

And when Nicasio (1-0) did throw that slider, it was a good one. He allowed four hits and struck out six over seven innings.

Nicasio held the D-backs' hitters in check until Mark Trumbo led off the fifth with a home run to center, his third of the year.

By that point, the Rockies were in control of game thanks to a poor outing by Delgado (0-1).

"He pitched well," D-backs first baseman Paul Goldschmidt said of Nicaso. "He uses his fastball a lot and he was getting ahead right there and he was locating it, moving it in and out. And they made some good plays out there and we just weren't able to get enough going."

The Rockies' hitters started early, with Charlie Blackmon leading off the first with a double and scoring one batter later on Michael Cuddyer's single.

It was the start of a huge day for Blackmon, who went 6-for-6 with a pair of singles, three doubles, a home run and five RBIs.

"He had a good day," Gibson said. "One he'll never forget, I'm sure. Got to give him credit. We'll have to do something different than we did today with him."

In the third, a two-run triple by Carlos Gonzalez and a run-scoring single by Troy Tulowitzki put the Rockies up 4-0.

The home run ball was a problem for Delgado in 2013, and he served one up in the fourth to Blackmon, a two-run shot that gave the Rockies a 6-0 lead.

"Fastball command is essential to everybody," Gibson said. "Randall couldn't do it. We were trying to get the ball to certain places and we couldn't get it there. The Rockies made us pay for it."

Gonzalez's triple in the third hit the wall in right, and in the sixth, he blasted a pitch from Joe Thatcher that hit off the facing of the third deck for a two-run homer and an 8-1 Colorado advantage.

"I think they were good pitches," Delgado said. "Maybe a few hits were up in the zone, but that's how the game is. They hit the ball. I can't complain about how I threw today. I felt like I threw the ball like I wanted, but it happened."

The D-backs sit at 1-6, but they worked after the game to keep things in perspective.

"Things are not going well for us right now," third baseman Martin Prado said. "But I'm not worried about that. I just don't want to see people around panicking. It's only one week."

Prado made an early exit from the game after being spiked in the left index finger by Blackmon in the sixth, but he did not expect to have to miss any time.

There was a laceration on the finger, but it was not broken and no stitches were required.

And according to Prado there is no surgery required on the team's psyche.

"I know that in here everybody is calm," Prado said. "It's frustrating right now that we're losing, but we're here for a reason. We're professionals. We're just going to maintain our routine and everything we're doing every day, and things are going to come around."