COLORADO ON FIRE; ONLY 4 GAMES OUT OF FISRT

A couple days ago, Rockies manager Jim Tracy celebrated the fact his offense ignited for double figures in runs. But on Tuesday night, he reminded everyone that he doesn't mind a low-scoring game when the Rockies win. Brad Hawpe and Troy Tulowitzki homered within the first three innings, then the pitching of rookie Jhoulys Chacin and the bullpen, plus a stellar defense, brought home a 3-2 victory over the D-backs at Coors Field. The victory opened a three-game set with Arizona and six-game homestand against National League West foes. It marked the ninth time in 10 games that the Rockies have scored four runs or fewer, but they're 6-4 in those contests. They've won three consecutive games, with Sunday's offensive outburst in an 11-7 victory over the Royals serving as the aberration. Chacin (3-2) held the D-backs to two runs and four hits in six innings, while striking out five. Manuel Corpas (fourth save) capped a strong bullpen effort by striking out Mark Reynolds looking with a runner at second to end the game. Third baseman Ian Stewart made two notable defensive plays, and second baseman Clint Barmes added one of his own. "Hitting is a very cyclical thing; we can be hot as a firecracker and then go dead cold and only get two or three runs," Tracy said. "But that formula there, that will win on a lot of days -- good pitching and very solid defense." Even without consistent offensive production, the Rockies (23-22) appear to be finding their stride. Unlike last season, when they dipped to 12 games below .500 before igniting and finishing the season in the playoffs, the Rockies haven't even dug themselves a hole in the West. They're four games behind the Padres. The Rockies' best baseball is doing its patented better-late-than-never arrival. Tulowitzki's homer was his fourth in five games -- to improve his total to five -- with the Rockies winning each of those games when their shortstop went deep. Hawpe launched his fourth homer and is hitting .319. With Ubaldo Jimenez at 8-1, 0.99 going into his start against the D-backs on Wednesday, Jeff Francis having posted a 0.68 ERA in two starts since leaving the DL and enough relievers hot, the Rockies could be in good shape when it's necessary. The Rockies began a run of 12 consecutive games against the NL West on Tuesday. There are still injuries to key players. Jorge De La Rosa (left middle finger) hasn't returned to the mound since late April, projected closer Huston Street hasn't pitched at all and outfield sparkplug Carlos Gonzalez is dealing with a nagging wrist injury. But the Rockies demonstrated on Tuesday that they have enough to win now and could improve. "This season has really tested our depth, and I think we've done pretty good for the situation that we were placed on early in the year," said Stewart, who dove, rolled over and threw from the seat of his pants to retire Reynolds to open the seventh, and reached into the D-backs' dugout for a Justin Upton foul pop in the ninth. Chacin improved to 3-0 against the NL West this season. Counting a scoreless inning of relief against the D-backs in his season debut, Chacin threw 15 1/3 scoreless innings against NL West competition and beat the Giants and Dodgers in his first two starts. But he gave up nine runs, 11 hits and six walks in losses to the Nationals and the Cubs. This time, Chacin triumphed, despite throwing 41 pitches in the first two innings. Between the second inning and the D-backs' two-run sixth, no runner reached second base. "The pitching coach [Bob Apodaca] talked to me and said, 'Relax and do what I did in the first two games,'" Chacin said. Reynolds said, "He was throwing a lot of off-speed stuff, and he was keeping us off balance pretty good. We just weren't able to get anything going against him." Rockies relievers Matt Belisle, Joe Beimel and Corpas were just as effective, although Stephen Drew's single past a diving Barmes to open the ninth made Corpas work. Corpas, a right-hander, usually uses a sinking fastball on his throwing arm side and a slider on his glove side. But Corpas said the sinker was ineffective on Tuesday. He threw sliders for much of a nine-pitch confrontation with Reynolds. Finally, with a 2-2 count, Corpas fooled Reynolds with a four-seam fastball that, truth be told, surprised Corpas, himself. "I never throw a four-seamer," he said, smiling.