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DENVER (AP) — The Colorado Rockies' tough stretch has reached a new low — a rare goose egg at home.
Lance Lynn held Colorado to three hits over eight innings as the Rockies dropped their seventh straight with an 8-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday night.
It's the first time they've been shutout at home since July 2. They're now 6-15 in June.
"If I had an answer, if any of us did, it would've already happened," outfielder Drew Stubbs said. "At some point, it's got to turn around. Hopefully, it's sooner rather than later."
Jhoulys Chacin (1-6) struggled with his control, allowing five runs in six innings. He also walked three and hit a batter.
"Whenever you walk a lot of guys, and you don't make good pitches, especially against a team like St. Louis, you're going to pay for it," Chacin said.
With his two hits, Corey Dickerson was the only Rockies hitter who could solve Lynn (8-5).
"I felt pretty comfortable up there," Dickerson said. "But I think righties were having a tough time picking (his fastball) up."
Lynn struck out seven and walked none before being taken out for the ninth after throwing 108 pitches.
"He was in complete control," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
Matt Adams provided the offensive spark with two homers and a career-high six RBIs. His big night included a two-run single in the third, a solo shot in the fifth and a three-run homer in the seventh. This was the third multihomer game of his career.
"It's just a continuation of how I've felt recently," Adams said. "The big thing that I'm happy about is I'm laying off the sliders and the curve balls from the lefties. I'm trying to make them come over the plate a little bit more instead of chasing what they want me to chase."
This was the second time in five days the Rockies have been perplexed by a pitcher, with Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw throwing a no-hitter last Wednesday.
Mixing a cutter with a sinker, Lynn bottled up one of the most potent lineups in the majors. He surrendered a one-out single to Dickerson in the first and then retired 16 straight until Charlie Blackmon and Dickerson had back-to-back singles in the sixth. Lynn got out of the jam by getting Troy Tulowitzki to fly out.
"When you get a good, live fastball like (Lynn) had tonight, you're going to get a lot of guys out," Stubbs said. "He didn't make mistakes."
Randy Choate got the first two outs in the ninth and Jason Motte struck out Tulowitzki to end the game.
Once again, Lynn sparkled at Coors Field. He hasn't allowed a homer at the hitter friendly park in the 77 batters he's faced spanning three starts.
The right-hander was aided by some fine fielding, too, like center fielder's Jon Jay's sliding grab on the warning track in the seventh on Justin Morneau's deep drive.
"That's a good hitting lineup, especially here, in their ball park, where the ball travels a little bit more," Lynn said. "But as a pitcher you can't think about it. You've just got to try to make your pitch.
"I was making good pitches and when you're doing that it's a good feeling."
Asked if there's anything he could possibly say to get the Rockies out of their funk, Weiss just shook his head.
"There are no magic words or anything else, other than to grind through the tough stuff," he said.
NOTES: Weiss is hopeful RHP Christian Bergman (bruised left hand) can make his start on Wednesday. Bergman was hit by a line drive on his glove hand last Friday. "He's made a lot of improvement in the last 24-to-48 hours," Weiss said. ... Tulowitzki was named the captain for the National League during the Home Run Derby at the All-Star game. ... This was the Cardinals' league-leading 15th shutout this season. It matches their total shutouts from last season. ... Cards OF Matt Holliday had an RBI double in the third inning against his former team.
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