Read More: Kevin Kouzmanoff (3B – COL), Conor Gillaspie (3B – SFG), Madison Bumgarner (P – SFG), Alex White (P – COL), Jordan Pacheco (C – COL), Brandon Belt (1B – SFG), Colorado Rockies, San Francisco Giants

The Colorado Rockies’ offensive ineptitude reared its head once again, paving the way to a 7-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants. This game could have been called after the second inning, the last time the Rockies had a hit in the game.

In the second inning, Kevin Kouzmanoff led off with a double and then moved over to third on Jordan Pacheco’s single. However, Madison Bumgarner recovered from that by striking out the side on the next three batters. The Rockies had one more base runner in the game, which came in the sixth inning. Bumgarner hit pinch-hitter Chris Iannetta.

Bumgarner (13-13, 3.21 ERA) held the Rockies to just those two hits and struck out nine in seven innings. Alex White (2-4, 8.42 ERA) didn’t end the season on a note he would have liked. White began the game with a walk and then threw two wild pitches. Mike Fontenot drove the runner in on a sacrifice fly.

Things went relatively well for the next two innings since no runs scored. The fourth inning, however, started with a Conor Gillaspie single to right. Brandon Belt followed by launching a home run into McCovey Cove for the 3-0 lead. White finished the inning and left the game.

Esmil Rogers was pitching in the sixth inning when Brandon Crawford tripled and scored on a wild pitch, which occurred with two outs. In the seventh, Rogers gave up a two-run inside-the-park home run to Gillaspie, who fell flat on his face while rounding third.

The Rockies (72-89, 34-46 away) close out the season with Drew Pomeranz on the mound for the Wednesday afternoon game.

For more on the Rockies, visit Purple Row. Check out McCovey Chronicles for more on the Giants.

Joe Saunders tossed six solid innings, Justin Upton and Miguel Montero homered and the Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Wilin Rosario, Millwood and Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies.

Millwood signed with the Rockies on Aug. 7 and made his Colorado debut three days later. Entering Wednesday he was 2-1 with a 3.34 ERA in five outings, but his start against Arizona was the toughest in his brief Rockies career.

Millwood (2-2) gave up four runs on 10 hits and struck out four in 5 2-3 innings.

“Of all the starts I’ve had here, I’ve felt that it was the worst stuff that I’ve had,” he said. “I was able to battle and give us a chance. It just wasn’t enough. Nothing was really working that well.”

The task was tough against the streaking Diamondbacks, who have won 13 of 15 and increased their lead in the NL West to seven games over San Francisco.

Colorado had its chances to score but could only produce homers from Rosario, Millwood and Gonzalez.

Millwood’s homer was the third of his career and first since May 18, 2002.

“Those are fun. No doubt about it,” he said. “ I wish it could’ve come in a winning effort. When you only have three you remember.”

Arizona rallied against Millwood to take the lead in the sixth. With two outs, John McDonald doubled down the left-field line to score Paul Goldschmidt from first. Saunders helped his own cause with a single to right to drive in McDonald and give the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead.

Upton led off the seventh with his 28th homer to make it 5-3.

Colorado took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on Rosario’s first career homer — a solo shot.

“My wife gets to keep the ball,” he said.

The Diamondbacks jumped ahead 2-0 in the third on Montero’s two-run homer to dead center field, his 15th of the season. The Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning on solo homers by Millwood and Gonzalez. It was Gonzalez’s 25th of the year.

Notes: Rosario’s single in the second inning was his first career hit. … Rockies 1B Todd Helton (back stiffness) sat out his fourth straight game. Manager Jim Tracy said Helton could play Friday. … Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will start for the Rockies when they open a three-game series Friday against Cincinnati.

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

DENVER (AP) – Kevin Millwood has been a pleasant surprise for the Colorado Rockies.

The Arizona Diamondbacks wouldn’t let him be a feel-good story Wednesday night.

Joe Saunders tossed six solid innings, Justin Upton and Miguel Montero homered and the Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Wilin Rosario, Millwood and Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies.

Millwood signed with the Rockies on Aug. 7 and made his Colorado debut three days later. Entering Wednesday he was 2-1 with a 3.34 ERA in five outings, but his start against Arizona was the toughest in his brief Rockies career.

Millwood (2-2) gave up four runs on 10 hits and struck out four in 5 2-3 innings.

“Of all the starts I’ve had here, I’ve felt that it was the worst stuff that I’ve had,” he said. “I was able to battle and give us a chance. It just wasn’t enough. Nothing was really working that well.”

The task was tough against the streaking Diamondbacks, who have won 13 of 15 and increased their lead in the NL West to seven games over San Francisco.

Colorado had its chances to score but could only produce homers from Rosario, Millwood and Gonzalez.

Millwood’s homer was the third of his career and first since May 18, 2002.

“Those are fun. No doubt about it,” he said. ” I wish it could’ve come in a winning effort. When you only have three you remember.”

Arizona rallied against Millwood to take the lead in the sixth. With two outs, John McDonald doubled down the left-field line to score Paul Goldschmidt from first. Saunders helped his own cause with a single to right to drive in McDonald and give the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead.

Upton led off the seventh with his 28th homer to make it 5-3.

Colorado took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on Rosario’s first career homer – a solo shot.

“My wife gets to keep the ball,” he said.

The Diamondbacks jumped ahead 2-0 in the third on Montero’s two-run homer to dead center field, his 15th of the season. The Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning on solo homers by Millwood and Gonzalez. It was Gonzalez’s 25th of the year.

Notes: Rosario’s single in the second inning was his first career hit. … Rockies 1B Todd Helton (back stiffness) sat out his fourth straight game. Manager Jim Tracy said Helton could play Friday. … Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will start for the Rockies when they open a three-game series Friday against Cincinnati.

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

Regardless of what happens this month, the Rockies will be a disappointment. They aren’t going to the playoffs for the third time in five years. They aren’t winning their first-ever National League West crown, those dreams eroding with an awful May.

The issue now is who’s got next? How are the Rockies going to clean up this mess and contend next season?

In a 5-3 loss to the Diamondbacks at coat-required Coors Field on Wednesday night, there were reasons for hope — see Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki — and concern. Will the Rockies have enough talent to offset their potential inexperience at key positions?

“It’s different. The pitchers are more consistent,” rookie catcher Wilin Rosario said. “The

game is faster.”

With youth comes enthusiasm, energy and mistakes.

Rosario hit his first home run — a 448-foot blast — one of three solo shots for the Rockies. He’s still learning the staff, unable to handle a pair of wild pitches. And he swung at a 2-0 changeup, making an easy out.

“They got me on that one,” Rosario said.

Rex Brothers, a potential closer of the future, saw his 11-game scoreless streak snapped when Justin Upton clobbered his 28th home run. Jordan Pacheco continues to show off a major-league swing, but he has committed errors in his first two games at third base.

“I have to learn fast,” Pacheco said. “If this is the best way to help the team and help my chances of staying, then I just need to keep working hard.”

The Rockies’ recovery, it could be argued, will be measured by Rosario, Brothers, Pacheco and rookie pitchers Alex White and Drew Pomeranz. If three have breakthrough seasons, the Rockies’ path back to contention becomes a lot smoother. If not? Then the Rockies are in danger of going 5-13 against the Diamondbacks, as they did this season. Despite his third career home run, Kevin Millwood was tagged for the latest loss.

Gonzalez hit his 25th

home run, a 442-foot shot to right field. Despite enduring a forgettable April and missing nearly three weeks because of a wrist injury, Gonzalez has a realistic chance at reaching 30 home runs and 100 RBIs.

“I just don’t like playing for (numbers). My reason to play is to be a champion,” Gonzalez said.

Tulowitzki is already there, becoming only the second shortstop in National League history to reach the 100-RBI milestone — joining Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks.

“It’s hard to enjoy any individual stat right now,” said Tulo-witzki, whose 59-game errorless streak ended in the eighth inning. “The goal of every season is to make the playoffs. Without that, it’s a failure.”

The Rockies need victories in

15 of their remaining 19 games for a winning record.

The succession of failures from multiple players has shifted the Rockies’ focus from results to development.

“I didn’t expect this,” Gonzalez said. “But it’s important to finish strong to build toward next year.”

Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com

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Upcoming pitching matchups

Thursday: Off

Friday: Reds’ Homer Bailey (7-7, 4.57 ERA) at Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (11-10, 3.60), 6:40 p.m., Root

Saturday: Reds’ Bronson Arroyo (8-11, 5.09) at Rockies’ Alex White (1-1, 7.41), 2:10 p.m., no TV

Sunday: Reds’ Dontrelle Willis (0-5, 4.21) at Rockies’ Drew Pomeranz (season debut), 1:10 p.m., Root

DENVER (AP) — Kevin Millwood has been a pleasant surprise for the Colorado Rockies.

The Arizona Diamondbacks wouldn’t let him be a feel-good story Wednesday night.

Joe Saunders tossed six solid innings, Justin Upton and Miguel Montero homered and the Diamondbacks beat the Colorado Rockies 5-3 on Wednesday night.

Wilin Rosario, Millwood and Carlos Gonzalez homered for the Rockies.

Millwood signed with the Rockies on Aug. 7 and made his Colorado debut three days later. Entering Wednesday he was 2-1 with a 3.34 ERA in five outings, but his start against Arizona was the toughest in his brief Rockies career.

Millwood (2-2) gave up four runs on 10 hits and struck out four in 5 2-3 innings.

“Of all the starts I’ve had here, I’ve felt that it was the worst stuff that I’ve had,” he said. “I was able to battle and give us a chance. It just wasn’t enough. Nothing was really working that well.”

The task was tough against the streaking Diamondbacks, who have won 13 of 15 and increased their lead in the NL West to seven games over San Francisco.

Colorado had its chances to score but could only produce homers from Rosario, Millwood and Gonzalez.

Millwood’s homer was the third of his career and first since May 18, 2002.

“Those are fun. No doubt about it,” he said. ” I wish it could’ve come in a winning effort. When you only have three you remember.”

Arizona rallied against Millwood to take the lead in the sixth. With two outs, John McDonald doubled down the left-field line to score Paul Goldschmidt from first. Saunders helped his own cause with a single to right to drive in McDonald and give the Diamondbacks a 4-3 lead.

Upton led off the seventh with his 28th homer to make it 5-3.

Colorado took a 3-2 lead in the fourth on Rosario’s first career homer — a solo shot.

“My wife gets to keep the ball,” he said.

The Diamondbacks jumped ahead 2-0 in the third on Montero’s two-run homer to dead center field, his 15th of the season. The Rockies tied it in the bottom of the inning on solo homers by Millwood and Gonzalez. It was Gonzalez’s 25th of the year.

Notes: Rosario’s single in the second inning was his first career hit. … Rockies 1B Todd Helton (back stiffness) sat out his fourth straight game. Manager Jim Tracy said Helton could play Friday. … Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin will start for the Rockies when they open a three-game series Friday against Cincinnati.