By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
Final: Rockies 11, Phillies 2 ❖ Attendance: 35,250
DENVER — Philadelphia Phillies (40-47) left-hander Adam Morgan was not strong in his spot start against right-hander Chad Bettis and the Colorado Rockies (39-46) in the series opener Thursday evening at Coors Field.
Filling in for the resting RHP Aaron Nola, Morgan surrendered six runs on nine hits and three home runs over five innings as the Rockies offense produced 11 runs on 14 hits, defeating the Phillies for the fifth straight game. He was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley following the game.
Colorado grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Following a one-out single to left by second baseman DJ LeMahieu, third baseman Nolan Arenado laced a RBI double to deep center for his National League-leading 70th RBI of the season.
The Phillies and Rockies exchanged solo home runs in the second from each of their first basemen. Ryan Howard went yard for the 369th time of his career, while Mark Reynolds secured his 11th home run and 30th RBI spanning 41 career games against Phillies pitching.
In the fourth, third baseman Maikel Franco doubled to right to set up a RBI single by Howard. While it was his first double in eight games, it extended his extra-base hit streak to five straight games, having homered in each of his previous four.
The game was relatively out of reach for the Phillies, with the score being 5-1 in favor of the Rockies leading up to Howard's RBI base knock. One inning prior, the Rockies blew the game open with a three-run shot to the left field concourse off the bat of rookie shortstop Trevor Story.
Story would go yard again in the fifth on a solo home run, his 21st home run through 78 career games to extend the Rockies lead to 6-2. He is the first shortstop and 16th player overall in Major League Baseball history to hit 20 or more home runs before his 79th career game, according to Ryan M. Spaeder.
In the seventh, five insurance runs were added by Colorado, all charged to the line of right-handed reliever Edubray Ramos. The runs were produced via a RBI single by LeMahieu, a bases-clearing three-RBI double by Reynolds and a RBI single by left fielder Brandon Barnes. Ramos threw just one-third of an inning with four hits and one walk allowed on 29 pitches.
Right-handers Vince Velasquez and Jon Gray will square off Friday evening in the second of four-game series. Gray, 24, was the third overall pick of the 2013 amateur draft. (Time: 8:10 p.m.; TV: CSN; Radio: SportsRadio 94 WIP).
