Cubs lose fifth in a row, on pace to lose 100 games

Unfortunately starter Chris Volstad had dug them a hole too big in the first three innings of Thursday's game with the Colorado Rockies.

"Home runs got me again," Volstad said. "It was a spinning curveball and a fastball in that got me. Other than that, it was singles mainly and four of them in the infield."

Volstad (3-11) allowed seven runs and 10 hits in three innings.

Jordan Pacheco and DJ LeMahieu homered, leading Colorado to a 7-5 victory and a three-game series sweep.

"Really there was no life," Chicago manager Dale Sveum said. "No breaking balls or sticking to the game plan."

Sveum couldn't understand why Volstad abandoned a game plan that was successful in an Aug. 26 start when he threw 6 2-3 scoreless innings.

"I don't know what was going on," Sveum said. "He pitched a pretty good game against these guys last time, just pitching down and away.

Pacheco, Wilin Rosario and Chris Nelson had two hits apiece for the Rockies, who had 12 hits in their final home game of 2012.

Rafael Betancourt relieved after a run was in and there with two on and no outs in the ninth. He gave up a run-scoring double to Alfonso Soriano before finishing for his 31st save.

Anthony Rizzo homered and had three hits and Luis Valbuena had two hits for the Cubs, who have lost five straight and nine of 10.

The Cubs (59-97) are on pace to surpass 100 losses for the first time since 1966.

Chicago trailed 7-3 in the ninth before rallying. Rizzo singled in the first run off Matt Belisle to bring on Betancourt. He allowed an RBI double to Soriano that made it 7-5 and put the tying run on second.

Betancourt struck out Starlin Castro and Josh Vitters and got Anthony Recker to ground out to end the game.

"We were one hit away from tying that game after a tough day, where balls were hit really hard and had nothing to show for it," Sveum said. "It was nice to be one ball from hitting the outfield grass to tying it up."