Major League Baseball
Rockies 6, Phillies 2
Major League Baseball

Rockies 6, Phillies 2

Published Jul. 14, 2012 6:09 a.m. ET

Josh Rutledge had to use borrowed cleats, bats and gloves for his first major league game with the Colorado Rockies. The hastily arranged ensemble worked out just fine in his splashy debut.

Rutledge had two hits and two RBIs, fellow rookie Christian Friedrich pitched six strong innings, and the Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Friday night.

''I couldn't have dreamed it up any better,'' said Rutledge, recalled from Tulsa as part of a series of moves that included placing star first baseman Todd Helton on the 15-day disabled list with a hip injury. ''That was definitely fun. The first game, you get shaving cream in the face. That was awesome.''

Rutledge was promoted from Double-A Tulsa earlier Friday, one of a series of moves that included placing first baseman Todd Helton on the 15-day disabled list with a hip injury. His equipment didn't arrive until after the game, but the shortstop looked right at home anyway.

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''He acts like he's been here 10 years,'' said Friedrich, who got the best of Cliff Lee in his first career appearance against the Phillies.

Getting Rutledge outfitted for the game was a team effort, including a particularly generous showing by injured shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.

''I wore Tulo's cleats, and his batting gloves, I used DJ LeMahieu's bats and Jordan Pacheco's gloves,'' Rutledge said.

Rutledge helped Friedrich (5-6) win for the first time in more than a month. The left-hander allowed one run and five hits, struck out seven and walked one while improving to 1-5 with a 6.75 ERA in his last seven starts.

''The kid threw all of his pitches and he threw strikes when he had to,'' Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. ''He did pretty good, we didn't hit him.''

Philadelphia, mired in last place in the NL East, has dropped five straight and 11 of 12.

Lee (1-6), who got his only win of the season in his previous start July 4 against the New York Mets, allowed three runs - two earned - and nine hits in six innings.

Philadelphia fell to 4-11 in Lee's starts this season after going 22-10 in his 32 starts a year ago.

''I shake my head because I look out there and see Lee pitching. I can't believe we can't win some games with him pitching. We got outplayed,'' Manuel said.

Rutledge broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth when he picked up his second RBI of the game with a sacrifice fly. Pinch-hitter Eric Young Jr., batting for Friedrich, followed with a run-scoring single to give the Rockies a 3-1 lead.

Colorado broke the game open in the seventh, pushing across three runs against Michael Schwimer.

Ramon Hernandez, activated from the disabled list earlier Friday, singled in Carlos Gonzalez, who had three hits. Michael Cuddyer, an outfielder who made a rare start at first in place of the injured Helton, followed with a run-scoring triple.

Cuddyer scored when All-Star catcher Carlos Ruiz threw wildly on an attempted pickoff for an error.

Rutledge, who also made several nifty defensive plays, got his first big league hit and first career RBI off Lee in the second when he doubled in Cuddyer.

''He had a great day, him and Pacheco,'' Lee said. ''They had some good at-bats. They swung the bat well, both of those guys. You normally don't expect that out of the bottom of the lineup but they were a big part of them winning tonight.''

Jimmy Rollins hit a tying RBI double in the third for Philadelphia. He also tripled and scored in the eighth on Chase Utley's sacrifice fly.

NOTES: Phillies pitcher Roy Halladay, on the disabled list since late May because of a muscle strain on his right side, was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Saturday after making a successful rehab start Thursday for Single-A Clearwater. ... LHP Raul Valdes went on the 15-day DL with a right hip strain, and the Phillies recalled LHP Joe Savery from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to fill his roster spot. ... The Rockies also placed C Wil Nieves on the DL with turf toe in his right foot and optioned reliever Tyler Chatwood to Double-A Tulsa in addition to recalling RHP Mike Ekstrom from Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... Hernandez missed 42 games while on the DL recovering from a left hand injury. ... The Phillies are one loss away from matching a season-high six-game losing streak. ... Friedrich's previous win was on June 4 at Arizona. ... Philadelphia lost for just the third time in its past 13 games at Coors Field.

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