Recent slide surprises Rockies owner Monfort

PITTSBURGH -- Rockies owner Dick Monfort said he was as surprised as anyone that the Rockies dropped four straight in Atlanta to fall to 8 1/2 games behind the Dodgers in the National League West. Monfort expected to win at least twice, based on the Rockies' starting pitching trend, but Jorge De La Rosa, Juan Nicasio and Tyler Chatwood -- all of whom had pitched well of late -- were pounded.

The series was a low point, but Monfort said a turnaround is still possible. It surprises him that the Rockies have not won more than six straight at a time this year.

"You get [veteran pitcher Roy] Oswalt back, and [rookie Chad] Bettis wasn't awful [in his Major League debut Thursday]," Monfort said. "You've got four guys four games in a row [De La Rosa, Nicasio, Chatwood and Jhoulys Chacin]. I still think they can do it.

"You look around, what would you change? You'd get some more help in the bullpen, but everybody else is in the same place."

The Rockies have seen righty relievers Edgmer Escalona and Wilton Lopez pitch poorly for an extended period. A couple of right-handed in-house options at Triple-A Colorado Springs are Rob Scahill, who has shown flashes in the Majors this season, but missed much of July because of a family situation; and former Cardinals reliever Mitchell Boggs, who was caught up in the Rockies' numbers game and was sent down a week ago. Boggs, however, gave up four runs on six hits in 1 1/3 innings Thursday night against New Orleans.