DENVER _ After scoring four runs in their last 14 innings at Coors Field, the Cubs responded convincingly Wednesday in snapping a five-game road losing streak and avoiding a three-game sweep to the Rockies.
Led by Cole Hamels' continued dominance on the mound, and the slugging of Kyle Schwarber and Javier Baez, the Cubs rolled to a 10-1 victory before a sellout crowd of 47,412.
Hamels worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and finished with seven innings of six-hit ball. Hamels struck out nine and walked one in extending his streak of not allowing an earned run to 22 innings.
In that span, Hamels (6-2) has allowed 11 hits while striking out 23 and walking four.
Hamels also helped his cause by hitting a two-run single during a three-run fifth.
Tensions mounted throughout the game in the wake of Cubs slugger Kris Bryant getting hit twice Tuesday and not starting Wednesday.
Hamels hit Rockies slugger Nolan Arenado with a pitch in the third. Arenado was visibly upset and left the game two innings later with what was announced as a bruise to his left forearm.
Hamels was hit around his ankle by a breaking pitch from Jake McGee with two out and nobody on base in the seventh.
And in the eighth, Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch from rookie Phillip Diehl, prompting umpire Roberto Ortiz to issue warnings to both teams. Rizzo took off for second without a throw, and Baez followed with a home run that traveled an estimated 460 feet. Baez walked a few steps before starting his home run trot.
In the bottom of the ninth with a 10-0 lead, Cubs reliever Brad Brach hit Tony Wolters but was not ejected to the dismay of manager Bud Black and several Rockies players. Wolters advanced to second and third without a throw and scored on a grounder by Chris Iannetta to Baez, who was tempted to throw home before throwing to first for the second out.
The Cubs started to feast on the Rockies' pitching with a five-run second, capped by Schwarber's three-run home run that landed in the upper deck.
