Colorado won its first two Sunday games against the Pirates and Cubs, but has come up empty since beating Chicago on April 17.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “I don’t think there’s anything to it, it’s just one of those things where it hasn’t worked out.”

Colorado manager Jim Tracy said the difference this Sunday was a lack of clutch hitting. The Rockies were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 15 with runners on base.

“The question that I’m trying to make sense out of even more so is those opportunities offensively that have escaped us, where you’ve got multiple runners and you come away with nothing,” Tracy said. “You’ve got people coming up there that you would absolutely want up there in those kinds of scenarios.”

Yadier Molina had three hits, a walk and two RBIs for St. Louis, which took two of three from Colorado. The Cardinals remained five games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee with 42 games to go, six of them against the Brewers.

Mark Ellis homered in the first for the Rockies, who have lost four of five. Esmil Rogers (6-2) issued a career-high seven walks, one intentional, in five innings. Colorado has lost six of seven in St. Louis and trails the series 82-81.

Pujols passed teammate Lance Berkman during a three-hit game with his National League-leading 29th homer in the first, a two-run drive estimated at 465 feet that soared over the visitor’s bulllpen and cleared the left field bleachers. The homer sparked a four-run first that matched the Cardinals’ season best for that inning.

Jason Motte entered with a 3-0 count against Ty Wigginton and two men on with one out in the sixth after Jackson was hurt during his 98th pitch, an injury the team described late in the game as a cramp. Wigginton flied out on a full count, and Chris Ianetta hit a comebacker to end the threat.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against two pitchers and their 4-5 hitters coming up before being thwarted by Octavio Dotel, who struck out Tulowitzki and caught Todd Helton looking on a curveball. The 37-year-old Dotel retired five in a row, four on strikeouts.

“I wasn’t sitting on anything,” Tulowitzki said. “I was relaxed, put a good swing on it. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way, it’s just kind of how it’s been.

“We haven’t got that big hit when needed but I love to be up in that situation.”

Molina and Skip Schumaker gave the Cardinals breathing room with run-scoring singles in the seventh off Edgar Gonzalez, making his first major league appearance since Sept. 27, 2009, when he was with Oakland.

Jackson (2-1) has a 4.62 ERA in four starts over 25 1-3 innings with six homers since coming to St. Louis in a deal that sent outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays. The right-hander needed 37 pitches to get through the first inning but trailed only 2-0 after striking out Ianetta with the bases loaded, and allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings.

The first four Cardinals to reach base scored against Rogers. But St. Louis left the bases loaded in the third when Rafael Furcal flied out on the first pitch after Rogers walked Jackson and stranded two in the fifth when Skip Schumaker grounded into a double play.

Though Rogers has a 6.00 ERA, he lost for the first time since April 18 against the Giants.

Notes: Furcal turned an exceptional double play at shortstop in the fourth, snaring Ianetta’s grounder behind second, reaching back to tag second and then finishing with a strong relay. … The Cardinals begin a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Monday night, with Jake Westbrook (9-6, 4.74) facing James McDonald (7-6, 4.24) in the opener. Westbrook has a 75.5 percent ground ball ratio, best in the majors, since joining the Cardinals at the trade deadline last season. … Kevin Milwood (0-1, 3.86) makes his second start for the Rockies, who return home to face the Marlins and Clay Hensley (1-4, 4.50).

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Colorado won its first two Sunday games against the Pirates and Cubs, but has come up empty since beating Chicago on April 17.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “I don’t think there’s anything to it, it’s just one of those things where it hasn’t worked out.”

Colorado manager Jim Tracy said the difference this Sunday was a lack of clutch hitting. The Rockies were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 15 with runners on base.

“The question that I’m trying to make sense out of even more so is those opportunities offensively that have escaped us, where you’ve got multiple runners and you come away with nothing,” Tracy said. “You’ve got people coming up there that you would absolutely want up there in those kinds of scenarios.”

Yadier Molina had three hits, a walk and two RBIs for St. Louis, which took two of three from Colorado. The Cardinals remained five games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee with 42 games to go, six of them against the Brewers.

Mark Ellis homered in the first for the Rockies, who have lost four of five. Esmil Rogers (6-2) issued a career-high seven walks, one intentional, in five innings. Colorado has lost six of seven in St. Louis and trails the series 82-81.

Pujols passed teammate Lance Berkman during a three-hit game with his National League-leading 29th homer in the first, a two-run drive estimated at 465 feet that soared over the visitor’s bulllpen and cleared the left field bleachers. The homer sparked a four-run first that matched the Cardinals’ season best for that inning.

Jason Motte entered with a 3-0 count against Ty Wigginton and two men on with one out in the sixth after Jackson was hurt during his 98th pitch, an injury the team described late in the game as a cramp. Wigginton flied out on a full count, and Chris Ianetta hit a comebacker to end the threat.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against two pitchers and their 4-5 hitters coming up before being thwarted by Octavio Dotel, who struck out Tulowitzki and caught Todd Helton looking on a curveball. The 37-year-old Dotel retired five in a row, four on strikeouts.

“I wasn’t sitting on anything,” Tulowitzki said. “I was relaxed, put a good swing on it. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way, it’s just kind of how it’s been.

“We haven’t got that big hit when needed but I love to be up in that situation.”

Molina and Skip Schumaker gave the Cardinals breathing room with run-scoring singles in the seventh off Edgar Gonzalez, making his first major league appearance since Sept. 27, 2009, when he was with Oakland.

Jackson (2-1) has a 4.62 ERA in four starts over 25 1-3 innings with six homers since coming to St. Louis in a deal that sent outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays. The right-hander needed 37 pitches to get through the first inning but trailed only 2-0 after striking out Ianetta with the bases loaded, and allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings.

The first four Cardinals to reach base scored against Rogers. But St. Louis left the bases loaded in the third when Rafael Furcal flied out on the first pitch after Rogers walked Jackson and stranded two in the fifth when Skip Schumaker grounded into a double play.

Though Rogers has a 6.00 ERA, he lost for the first time since April 18 against the Giants.

Notes: Furcal turned an exceptional double play at shortstop in the fourth, snaring Ianetta’s grounder behind second, reaching back to tag second and then finishing with a strong relay. … The Cardinals begin a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Monday night, with Jake Westbrook (9-6, 4.74) facing James McDonald (7-6, 4.24) in the opener. Westbrook has a 75.5 percent ground ball ratio, best in the majors, since joining the Cardinals at the trade deadline last season. … Kevin Milwood (0-1, 3.86) makes his second start for the Rockies, who return home to face the Marlins and Clay Hensley (1-4, 4.50).

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Maybe Sunday should be a day of rest for the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies lost their 17th straight Sunday game, falling 6-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. Albert Pujols hit the longest home run at 6-year-old Busch Stadium and the Cardinals overcame an injury to starter Edwin Jackson with stellar bullpen work.

Colorado won its first two Sunday games against the Pirates and Cubs, but has come up empty since beating Chicago on April 17.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “I don’t think there’s anything to it, it’s just one of those things where it hasn’t worked out.”

Colorado manager Jim Tracy said the difference this Sunday was a lack of clutch hitting. The Rockies were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 15 with runners on base.

“The question that I’m trying to make sense out of even more so is those opportunities offensively that have escaped us, where you’ve got multiple runners and you come away with nothing,” Tracy said. “You’ve got people coming up there that you would absolutely want up there in those kinds of scenarios.”

Yadier Molina had three hits, a walk and two RBIs for St. Louis, which took two of three from Colorado. The Cardinals remained five games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee with 42 games to go, six of them against the Brewers.

Mark Ellis homered in the first for the Rockies, who have lost four of five. Esmil Rogers (6-2) issued a career-high seven walks, one intentional, in five innings. Colorado has lost six of seven in St. Louis and trails the series 82-81.

Pujols passed teammate Lance Berkman during a three-hit game with his National League-leading 29th homer in the first, a two-run drive estimated at 465 feet that soared over the visitor’s bulllpen and cleared the left field bleachers. The homer sparked a four-run first that matched the Cardinals’ season best for that inning.

Jason Motte entered with a 3-0 count against Ty Wigginton and two men on with one out in the sixth after Jackson was hurt during his 98th pitch, an injury the team described late in the game as a cramp. Wigginton flied out on a full count, and Chris Ianetta hit a comebacker to end the threat.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against two pitchers and their 4-5 hitters coming up before being thwarted by Octavio Dotel, who struck out Tulowitzki and caught Todd Helton looking on a curveball. The 37-year-old Dotel retired five in a row, four on strikeouts.

“I wasn’t sitting on anything,” Tulowitzki said. “I was relaxed, put a good swing on it. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way, it’s just kind of how it’s been.

“We haven’t got that big hit when needed but I love to be up in that situation.”

Molina and Skip Schumaker gave the Cardinals breathing room with run-scoring singles in the seventh off Edgar Gonzalez, making his first major league appearance since Sept. 27, 2009, when he was with Oakland.

Jackson (2-1) has a 4.62 ERA in four starts over 25 1-3 innings with six homers since coming to St. Louis in a deal that sent outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays. The right-hander needed 37 pitches to get through the first inning but trailed only 2-0 after striking out Ianetta with the bases loaded, and allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings.

The first four Cardinals to reach base scored against Rogers. But St. Louis left the bases loaded in the third when Rafael Furcal flied out on the first pitch after Rogers walked Jackson and stranded two in the fifth when Skip Schumaker grounded into a double play.

Though Rogers has a 6.00 ERA, he lost for the first time since April 18 against the Giants.

Notes: Furcal turned an exceptional double play at shortstop in the fourth, snaring Ianetta’s grounder behind second, reaching back to tag second and then finishing with a strong relay. … The Cardinals begin a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Monday night, with Jake Westbrook (9-6, 4.74) facing James McDonald (7-6, 4.24) in the opener. Westbrook has a 75.5 percent ground ball ratio, best in the majors, since joining the Cardinals at the trade deadline last season. … Kevin Milwood (0-1, 3.86) makes his second start for the Rockies, who return home to face the Marlins and Clay Hensley (1-4, 4.50).

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Maybe Sunday should be a day of rest for the Colorado Rockies.

The Rockies lost their 17th straight Sunday game, falling 6-2 to the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. Albert Pujols hit the longest home run at 6-year-old Busch Stadium and the Cardinals overcame an injury to starter Edwin Jackson with stellar bullpen work.

Colorado won its first two Sunday games against the Pirates and Cubs, but has come up empty since beating Chicago on April 17.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “I don’t think there’s anything to it, it’s just one of those things where it hasn’t worked out.”

Colorado manager Jim Tracy said the difference this Sunday was a lack of clutch hitting. The Rockies were 1 for 8 with runners in scoring position and 3 for 15 with runners on base.

“The question that I’m trying to make sense out of even more so is those opportunities offensively that have escaped us, where you’ve got multiple runners and you come away with nothing,” Tracy said. “You’ve got people coming up there that you would absolutely want up there in those kinds of scenarios.”

Yadier Molina had three hits, a walk and two RBIs for St. Louis, which took two of three from Colorado. The Cardinals remained five games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee with 42 games to go, six of them against the Brewers.

Mark Ellis homered in the first for the Rockies, who have lost four of five. Esmil Rogers (6-2) issued a career-high seven walks, one intentional, in five innings. Colorado has lost six of seven in St. Louis and trails the series 82-81.

Pujols passed teammate Lance Berkman during a three-hit game with his National League-leading 29th homer in the first, a two-run drive estimated at 465 feet that soared over the visitor’s bulllpen and cleared the left field bleachers. The homer sparked a four-run first that matched the Cardinals’ season best for that inning.

Jason Motte entered with a 3-0 count against Ty Wigginton and two men on with one out in the sixth after Jackson was hurt during his 98th pitch, an injury the team described late in the game as a cramp. Wigginton flied out on a full count, and Chris Ianetta hit a comebacker to end the threat.

The Rockies loaded the bases with one out in the seventh against two pitchers and their 4-5 hitters coming up before being thwarted by Octavio Dotel, who struck out Tulowitzki and caught Todd Helton looking on a curveball. The 37-year-old Dotel retired five in a row, four on strikeouts.

“I wasn’t sitting on anything,” Tulowitzki said. “I was relaxed, put a good swing on it. Sometimes it doesn’t go your way, it’s just kind of how it’s been.

“We haven’t got that big hit when needed but I love to be up in that situation.”

Molina and Skip Schumaker gave the Cardinals breathing room with run-scoring singles in the seventh off Edgar Gonzalez, making his first major league appearance since Sept. 27, 2009, when he was with Oakland.

Jackson (2-1) has a 4.62 ERA in four starts over 25 1-3 innings with six homers since coming to St. Louis in a deal that sent outfielder Colby Rasmus to the Blue Jays. The right-hander needed 37 pitches to get through the first inning but trailed only 2-0 after striking out Ianetta with the bases loaded, and allowed two runs in 5 1-3 innings.

The first four Cardinals to reach base scored against Rogers. But St. Louis left the bases loaded in the third when Rafael Furcal flied out on the first pitch after Rogers walked Jackson and stranded two in the fifth when Skip Schumaker grounded into a double play.

Though Rogers has a 6.00 ERA, he lost for the first time since April 18 against the Giants.

Notes: Furcal turned an exceptional double play at shortstop in the fourth, snaring Ianetta’s grounder behind second, reaching back to tag second and then finishing with a strong relay. … The Cardinals begin a three-game series at Pittsburgh on Monday night, with Jake Westbrook (9-6, 4.74) facing James McDonald (7-6, 4.24) in the opener. Westbrook has a 75.5 percent ground ball ratio, best in the majors, since joining the Cardinals at the trade deadline last season. … Kevin Milwood (0-1, 3.86) makes his second start for the Rockies, who return home to face the Marlins and Clay Hensley (1-4, 4.50).

DENVER — The Colorado Rockies entered the season with World Series aspirations. A weak end to their weekends has pretty much dashed those hopes.

The Rockies have lost 16 straight Sunday games, a slump that now includes their 3-2 defeat by the Washington Nationals.

“This isn’t the first time on a Sunday that we played like this,” manager Jim Tracy said. “The game was sitting right there for the taking. We did not capitalize and do enough execution, what we needed to get done to win this game.”

Colorado’s last victory on a Sunday was April 17. The Rockies beat the Cubs 9-5 that day.

The Rockies spotted the Nationals a 2-0 lead when Jonny Gomes hit his first home run for Washington. They rallied to tie it in the seventh but Jayson Werth delivered a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning to continue Colorado’s Sunday woes.

The Rockies split the four-game series and went 2-5 on their homestand. Eliezer Alfonzo got three hits for Colorado and Troy Tulowitzki had two.

Rockies starter Aaron Cook, who had to leave Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia because of neck spasms, scattered four hits in 62/3 innings. He walked three and struck out three in his second longest outing in his 10 starts since coming off the disabled list on June 8.

“I felt pretty good. There was a little mechanical issue early and left one ball up. Ended up costing us big,” he said. “Other than that I felt pretty good and felt I was able to make pitches the way I needed to.”The Nationals scored in the second when Werth led off with a walk and Gomes followed with his 12th home run. He had gone 25 games without a homer, a drought that started before the Nationals acquired him from Cincinnati on July 26.

The Rockies tied it in the seventh. Pinch-hitter Jonathan Herrera drew a leadoff walk from starter John Lannan, Eric Young Jr. singled off reliever Ryan Mattheus and Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners up.

Herrera scored when Morse bobbled Carlos Gonzalez’s grounder at first, and Gonzalez was safe when Tyler Clippard failed to cover the bag. After Tulowitzki struck out, Ty Wigginton singled to make it 2-all.

Washington scored the deciding run off reliever Matt Belisle (5-4). Danny Espinosa opened the eighth with a double over Young’s head in left and moved to third on Ryan Zimmerman’s groundout. After an intentional walk to Michael Morse, Werth singled sharply to left field.

Young took a poor angle on Espinosa’s double, opening the door for the Nationals.

“Unfortunately we had a tough defensive play when they scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth,” Tracy said. “That’s a catchable ball. But we didn’t catch it.”

Clippard (2-0) got the win in relief and Drew Storen pitched the ninth for his 29th save.

The Rockies had a chance to tie it in the eighth when Mark Ellis reached on a fielder’s choice and stole second but Herrera flew out and Young grounded out.

The Rockies stranded 11 runners.

“We had opportunities offensively. We had the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning and didn’t score,” Tracy said. “We tied the game with two outs and had a chance to take the lead, but popped the ball up. And we had an opportunity in the eighth inning.”

Notable

The Rockies recalled RHP Josh Roenicke from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned RHP Greg Reynolds to the Sky Sox. … Rockies starter Jason Hammel will open Colorado’s series in Cincinnati today. Hammel has struggled since starting the season 3-1, going 3-10 since then. In July opponents hit .325 off the right-hander. … Tulowitzki has at least two hits in four straight games. He was 10 for 16 in the four-game series.

Rockies upcoming

Nationals 3, Rockies 2 Wash. ab r h bi Colorado ab r h bi

Ankiel cf 4 0 0 0 EYong lf 5 1 2 0

Espinos 2b 5 1 1 0 Fowler cf 2 0 0 0

Zmrmn 3b 4 0 1 0 CGnzlz rf 5 0 0 1

Morse 1b 3 0 0 0 Tlwtzk ss 5 0 2 0

Werth rf 3 1 1 1 Wggntn 1b 3 0 1 1

JGoms lf 4 1 2 2 Nelson 3b 3 0 0 0

Storen p 0 0 0 0 S.Smith ph 1 0 0 0

Dsmnd ss 4 0 0 0 Belisle p 0 0 0 0

Flores c 3 0 1 0 Roenck p 0 0 0 0

Lannan p 3 0 0 0 Alfonzo c 4 0 3 0

Matths p 0 0 0 0 M.Ellis 2b 4 0 1 0

Clipprd p 0 0 0 0 A.Cook p 2 0 0 0

Coffey p 0 0 0 0 MtRynl p 0 0 0 0

L.Nix ph 1 0 1 0 JHerrr ph-3b 1 1 0 0

Bixler pr-lf 0 0 0 0

Totals 34 3 7 3 Totals 35 2 9 2

Washington 020 000 010 — 3

Colorado 000 000 200 — 2

E — Morse (5), A.Cook (2). DP — Washington 1. LOB — Washington 8, Colorado 11. 2B — Espinosa (20), Flores (2). HR — J.Gomes (12). SB — M.Ellis (3). S — Fowler.

Washington IP H R ER BB SO

Lannan 6 6 1 1 4 3

Mattheus H,4 1/3 1 1 0 0 0

Clippard W,2-0 BS,6-6 2/3 1 0 0 0 1

Coffey H,7 1 1 0 0 0 0

Storen S,29-33 1 0 0 0 0 1

Colorado IP H R ER BB SO

A.Cook 62/3 4 2 2 3 4

Mat.Reynolds 1/3 0 0 0 0 1

Belisle L,5-4 1 2 1 1 1 2

Roenicke 1 1 0 0 0 1

Lannan pitched to 1 batter in the 7th. T — 2:57. A — 34,812 (50,490).