The Chicago Cubs just might have suffered their worst loss of the 2010 season on Friday evening at Coors Field, as the Colorado Rockies batted around twice during a TWELVE-run 8th inning to highlight their 17-2 win.

The Rockies set a new major-league record during that 8th inning, as they strung out 11 consecutive 2-out hits to highlight their blowout victory.

The Rockies tried to score an early run in the 1st after Carlos Gonzalez hit a 2-out double against Cubs starter Ryan Dempster.

Troy Tulowitzki then struck out swinging to end the scoring chance.

Colorado then struck for a couple of runs in the 3rd, as Jeff Francis hit a 1-out single off Dempster.

Dexter Fowler then drilled a ground-rule double to deep right center, which put runners on 2nd & 3rd for Seth Smith.

Smith kept it going with a 2-run double to right, as it scored both Francis & Fowler to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead.

After Carlos Gonzalez’s strikeout, Troy Tulowitzki & Brad Hawpe both drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Chris Iannetta.

Iannetta drew a 2-out bases-loaded walk to force home Smith from 3rd base & make it a 3-0 game.

Dempster then got Chris Stewart to fly out to Marlon Byrd in centerfield to end the inning.

Chicago had a shot to score in the 4th after Tyler Colvin drew a lead-off walk from Colorado starter Jeff Francis.

2 batters later, Derrek Lee grounded out to Troy Tulowitzki at shortstop, but was able to advance Colvin to 2nd base.

That left it up to Aramis Ramirez, who flied out to Dexter Fowler in centerfield to end the scoring chance.

The Rockies extended their lead in the 5th, as Carlos Gonzalez got it started with a lead-off homer (20th of season) off Dempster to make it a 4-0 game.

Troy Tulowitzki then followed with a single to center, while Brad Hawpe & Chris Iannetta both drew back-to-back walks to load the bases with nobody out for Ian Stewart.

Stewart greeted Cubs reliever James Russell with an RBI single to right, as it scfored Tulowitzki from 3rd & gave Colorado a 5-0 lead.

Clint Barmes then popped out to Derrek Lee at 1st base before Jeff Francis struck out looking, which left it up to Dexter Fowler.

Fowler flied out to Tyler Colvin in shallow rightfield to end the inning.

The Cubs finally got on the board in the 6th, as former Rockie Jeff Baker hit a lead-off single against Francis.

Tyler Colvin then followed with an RBI double, which scored Baker & made it a 5-1 game.

After Starlin Castro hit a sharp lineout to Ian Stewart at 3rd base, Derrek Lee hit an RBI groundout to score Colvin from 2nd & make it a 5-2 game.

Colorado then exploded for a MONSTER 8th inning, as it began with Clint Barmes’ lead-off double against Chicago reliever Sean Marshall.

Melvin Mora made a pinch-hit appearence & singled to right, which put runners on 1st & 3rd with nobody out for Dexter Fowler.

Fowler struck out swinging, while Ryan Spilborghs also struck out to leave it up to Carlos Gonzalez.

Gonzalez started an incredible 2-out rally, as he hit an RBI single to score Barmes from 3rd & make it a 6-2 game.

Troy Tulowitzki then hit an RBI double to score Mora from 2nd, which gave the Rockies a 7-2 lead.

Brad Hawpe smacked a 2-run ground-rule double to deep right center, which scored both Gonzalez & Tulowitzki to give Colorado a 9-2 lead.

Andrew Cashner then relieved Sean Marshall from the bullpen & gave up an RBI triple to Chris Iannetta, which scored Hawpe from 2nd & made it a 10-2 game.

Ian Stewart followed that with a 2-run homer (15th of season), which made it a 12-2 game.

Clint Barmes singled, while Melvin Mora drove him home with an RBI double to make it 13-2 Colorado.

Dexter Fowler then stroked a 2-run homer (3rd of season) to make it a 15-2 Rockies lead.

Ryan Spillborghs & Carlos Gonzalez hit back-to-back 2-out singles, while Troy Tulowitzki drove them both home with a 2-run double to make it a 17-2 game.

Brad Hawpe & Chris Iannetta then drew back-to-back walks against Brian Schlitter, which loaded the bases for Ian Stewart.

Stewart flied out to Marlon Byrd in deep centerfield to finally end the inning.

With 11 consecutive two-out hits, the Rockies set a new major-league record.

Jeff Francis (4-3) gets the win for Colorado after pitching 6 innings & allowed 2 runs on 4 hits while walking one & striking out five.

Ryan Dempster (8-8) takes the loss for Chicago after being charged for 5 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings of work.

The Cubs will try to rebound from an embarassing loss on Saturday evening at 7:10 PM cst from Coors Field, as lefthander Tom Gorzelanny (6-5, 3.22) will pitch against Rockies righthander Jason Hammel (7-6, 4.34).

Gorzelanny has been outstanding on the road this season, as he’s 3-2 in 6 starts with a 2.25 ERA.

However, he does sport a 10.80 ERA (Highest among any opposing MLB teams) in 3 career starts against the Rockies.

Hammel has lost each of his last 3 starts, but is 6-1 this season in 10 home starts with a 3.85 ERA.

Signing off for now,

Matt T for Cubshub.com