Maddux loses first career decision at Coors Field

DENVER (AP) -- The Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs played a classic Coors Field game.

Matt Holliday and Dustan Mohr hit two-run homers, leading the Rockies over the Cubs 9-7 on Sunday in a game that featured eight home runs.

"We had a little nostalgia game, one that wasn't for the weak of heart," Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said. "Like old times, with a lot of home runs."

Each team hit four homers -- but the Cubs didn't enjoy theirs nearly as much.

"I'd managed here too many games before and again it was too painful to watch," Chicago manager Dusty Baker said. "You make mistakes and the ball flies out of here."

Garrett Atkins had three hits, including a solo homer, for the Rockies. Pinch-hitter Jorge Piedra added a three-run drive in the eighth as Colorado took two of three in the series.

"I wasn't here for the Blake Street Bombers, but this was the atmosphere they played in every game," Holliday said. "That picked me up as it did all of us and helped us come back from a great pitcher."

Sunny Kim (2-2) threw two scoreless innings to earn his first win for Colorado.

Greg Maddux (10-10) allowed six runs and eight hits -- including three homers -- in six innings and failed to get his 316th win. He lost for the first time in six career decisions at Coors Field.

"They got me big time," said Maddux, who had won his previous two starts. "You've got to keep the ball down here or you pay for it -- and I did."

Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit back-to-back homers in the ninth for Chicago. Neifi Perez and Jeromy Burnitz added two-run shots off Colorado closer Brian Fuentes.

"I thought Fuentes showed a lot of toughness to regroup and get Burnitz and [Todd] Walker," Hurdle said.

Colorado took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Todd Helton's sacrifice fly and Mohr extended the lead to 3-0 in the fourth with his 15th home run, on an 0-2 count. The homer followed Atkins' leadoff single to center.

Perez and Burnitz homered and Nomar Garciaparra had an RBI double as the Cubs scored five times in the fifth against Colorado starter Jeff Francis.

Jerry Hairston doubled, and one pitch later Perez homered to left. Lee walked and scored on Garciaparra's double to right and Burnitz hit a hanging curve on a 2-2 pitch over the scoreboard in right to put Chicago ahead 5-3.

Holliday and Atkins hit back-to-back homers in the Colorado fifth to take a 6-5. Holliday's came after a two-out double by Helton.

"He left a changeup out over the plate," Holliday said.

Added Atkins: "I was just trying to work counts and looking out over the plate. I stayed on a changeup and got good wood on it, and it went out."

Garciaparra doubled with one-out in the seventh off Kim. Randy Williams replaced Kim, got Burnitz to ground out and fanned Corey Patterson.

"The walk to Omar Quintanilla ahead of Piedra was the key to the game," Baker said. "The two-out rallies were painful."

Game notes
The three-game series drew 96,073. ... Garciaparra had two hits and an RBI after missing two games with stiffness in his lower back. ... Francis has given up 18 earned runs in 13 innings over his last three starts. ... Outfielder Larry Bigbie was held out of the lineup with a sore right Achilles tendon.