D-backs back Anderson to take series win

PHOENIX -- Chase Anderson has been remarkably consistent against the Rockies this year. Consistently good, that is.

Anderson on Sunday afternoon helped lead the D-backs past the Rockies, 6-2, at Chase Field to win the series.

"It started with attacking guys with the fastball," Anderson said. "My arm felt good, had kind of a week off. My arm felt really good from the get-go, so [I] just had confidence."

With the win, the D-backs took two of three in the series and finished up their homestand with a 4-4 mark.

Anderson (8-6) has pitched three times against the Rockies this year, and in all three outings, he has worked six innings and allowed one run, giving him a 1.50 ERA against Colorado.

"My pitches play good for those guys," Anderson said. "I'm able to kind of pound the strike zone, get outs early in the count and I've just had good success against those guys. The defense played really good behind me."

Anderson scattered five hits and did not walk a batter while matching his career high with eight strikeouts.

"[He] had a little more velocity than I remember the last time we faced him," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "He stays in good counts, goes back and forth to both sides of the plate. Doesn't really fall into patterns."

Anderson's velocity was up -- he hit 94 miles per hour early in the game -- in large part because he had six days off from his last start and the D-backs have had him cut back on the amount of throwing he does between starts.

"He had more life in his arm today," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said. "I think just the extra days helped him and we slowed him down. We just scaled him back and he had more life."

In Anderson's previous two starts he allowed a combined 11 runs in lasting just seven innings.

And even though he has surpassed his innings total from last season, the D-backs want to keep the rookie going so that he can get the experience of pitching in September for the first time in his career.

"He's never done it," Gibson said. "He's always gone home in September. This is a big month."

The D-backs gave Anderson a lead to work with in the first when Aaron Hill's single drove in Ender Inciarte.

Arizona increased its lead to 2-0 in the third when former Rockie Jordan Pacheco singled home Hill, who had tripled with two outs.

Hill went 3-for-4 on the day and wound up a home run shy of hitting for his third career cycle.

The Rockies got on the board in the fourth when Charlie Blackmon led off the frame with a homer to right.

Colorado left-hander Jorge De La Rosa (13-10) proved to be almost as tough as Anderson through the first six innings. In the seventh, though, the D-backs would find a way to break the game open.

Didi Gregorius led off the inning with a walk and pinch-hitter Nolan Reimold, who was claimed off waivers last week, followed with a home run to left. That ended De La Rosa's day and gave the D-backs a 4-1 lead.

"Just taking a look at him, giving him an opportunity," Gibson said of Reimold. "He's done well. He's had ability so hopefully he's comfortable here and able to perform."

Later in the inning, Hill drove home a run with a double and Mark Trumbo added an RBI single off reliever Matt Belisle.

It was an offensive explosion compared to Saturday night when they wasted a fine performance from left-hander Vidal Nuno and fell, 2-0.

D-backs starters -- Anderson, Nuno and Josh Collmenter -- allowed just three runs over 20 1/3 innings in the series with Colorado.

"Our starters this series were outstanding," Gibson said. "Real good effort by those guys."