Rockies-Brewers box score

The home rampage has lasted more than two months for the Rockies.

Lately, they seem to scuffle on a trip or at best break even, only to return to Coors Field and get inspired, get infused, get in sync or whatever.

It was that way again Monday when the Rockies scored early and began a seven-game homestand with a 6-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Rockies have won 10 of their past 13 and 19 of 24 at Coors Field dating to June 2 and improved their overall home record to 31-21, third best in the National League.

"It seems like when we need a big hit here, we get it," said Todd Helton, who singled home the Rockies' first run.

"On the road, we struggle a little bit more with guys in crucial situations."

The Rockies got two very big hits against Claudio Vargas — a three-run home run from Brad Hawpe in the first and Matt Holliday's two-run homer in the second.

Both home runs and Helton's single came with two out.

The victory allowed the Rockies to pull three games behind second-place (and wild-card leader) San Diego in the NL West and five games behind division-leading Arizona.

Josh Fogg was the beneficiary of the early rallies. He allowed solo home runs to Prince Fielder in the second and Ryan Braun in the fourth but didn't face a batter with a runner in scoring position until the sixth.

He retired the five batters he faced in such situations during an economical 83-pitch outing.

"I was throwing all four pitches," Fogg said. "Nothing was really spectacular, but my fastball command was what was huge for me.

"If I can get guys to respect that I'm going to throw fastballs for strikes, then I've got a lot more chances of getting outs. If they're spitting on fastballs and waiting for changeups and cutters, then I'm going to be in some trouble."

Fogg has won three of his past four decisions and five of his past seven. He said those five victories would be noticed more had he not started the season 1-5.

"I want to get back to .500," said Fogg, who is 6-7 overall but 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA during his past five starts. "I'm getting close and, hopefully, I can win a few more and get above .500."

A loss by the Chicago Cubs at Houston allowed the Brewers to stay one game ahead of the Cubs in the NL Central.

But the Brewers have lost seven of their past 10 and 12 of their past 15 games on the road, where they are 21-33.

Given those struggles, the Brewers found themselves in an abyss when the Rockies struck for four runs in the first.

Helton's single scored Kazuo Matsui, who had doubled. Garrett Atkins followed Helton with a single and both runners scored when Hawpe belted his 19th home run.

He came into the game 11-for-60 since the All-Star break and with two hits in past 21 at-bats.

"You go through times when you don't feel good at the plate, where your swing's not quite where you want it to be," Hawpe said. "I think whenever that happens to me, I try to do too much. I try to swing a little harder to catch up and can't do it.

"Extension and leverage — I think for me that's the key. If I can get through the ball and stay through the ball instead of trying to muscle up and hit the ball hard, that's what works best for me."

Thanks to Hawpe's home run, the Rockies have outscored their opponents 45-29 in the first inning at Coors Field. Holliday's 21st homer came after Matsui's infield single.

Matsui has a hit in six straight games and nine of his past 10.

Holliday (3-for-5) took over the league lead with 149 hits and is second in the majors to Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki (155).

As it turned out, Holliday's homer completed the scoring for the Rockies, but that was more than enough for a grateful Fogg, who has been holding up his end at the back of the Rockies rotation.

"Getting six in the first two innings, any starting pitcher, whether you're bottom of the rotation or top of the rotation, you've got to hold that together, and that's got to be a win for your team when the offense goes out there and does that," Fogg said. "That's a dream come true whenever you're pitching — 6-0 or 6-1 in the second inning."

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