Rockies lose slugfest on Opening Day

PHOENIX — A matchup between two of the best sinkerball pitchers in baseball turned into a slugfest.

And the Rockies suffered the knockout punch on Opening Day.

Chad Tracy continued to blast Rockies pitching, including leading off the seventh inning with the home run that gave the Diamondbacks the 9-8 margin of victory Monday afternoon.

Tracy greeted reliever Jason Grilli with Arizona’s fifth home run of the game.

Aaron Cook started for the Rockies and survived only 2 1/3 innings, giving up six runs. It was the second shortest start of his career. The only time he retired fewer than seven batters in a start was on Aug. 7, 2004, when he came out after two innings because of what turned out to be a blood clot.

Cook gave up home runs to Tony Clark and Felipe Lopez, both batting left-handed. And the two both hit home runs batting right-handed off Glendon Rusch to become the first teammates to homer from both sides of the plate in a game since Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams of the Yankees on April 23, 2000.

Not only did Cook leave after only 2 1/3 innings, but Arizona right-hander Brandon Webb survived only four innings, and gave up back-to-back home runs to Troy Tulowitzki and Chris Iannetta, which tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth.

Seth Smith also provided a lift for the Rockies when he greeted left-hander Scott Schoeneweis with a leadoff home run in the seventh, tying the game 8-8.

The game was the highest-scoring season opener on the road in Rockies history. They lost 11-4 at Cincinnati in 2007.