DENVER (AP) -- On those rare occasions when Curt Schilling
appears vulnerable, opposing hitters know they must take advantage.

The Colorado Rockies did just that.

Todd Helton hit a three-run homer, highlighting a four-run first
inning off Schilling, and the Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks
8-3 Sunday for their fourth straight win.

"I noticed Schilling was missing with his fastball early in
counts,'' Helton said. "Usually, that's his pitch to get ahead. He
made some adjustments after that and pitched pretty good. I don't
know if it was the weather (36 degrees) or whatever, but it took a
little bit for him to get going. He hung a two-strike curveball to
me.''

Schilling (0-1) and teammate Randy Johnson are a combined 0-2
after two starts apiece this season.

"I felt good, I just pitched bad. Weak pitches, walked guys --
all the things you can do wrong I did wrong in the first inning,''
said Schilling, who was 45-13 the past two seasons.

The two-time defending NL West champions have lost four straight
and are 1-5, equaling the worst start in their six-year history.
The Diamondbacks also opened 1-5 in their inaugural season of 1998.

Arizona has lost its last seven games at Coors Field.

Diamondbacks manager Bob Brenly said Schilling "just wasn't his
usual self, especially in that first inning. Walking the first
batter on four pitches is just so out of character for him. He
didn't have his usual fine command today.''

The Rockies preserved the win with outstanding outfield defense.

Colorado matched the club record with three outfield assists. In
the fifth, Gabe Kapler caught Rod Barajas' fly ball and threw out
Carlos Baerga retreating to first. In the sixth, Preston Wilson and
Larry Walker threw out runners.

"Our outfield was incredible today,'' Helton said. "You can
see the strength in their arms, the way they go get balls, cut
balls off. That's a huge plus for us, especially playing in this
park.''

Walker couldn't remember seeing a game in which all three
outfielders got one assist.

Colorado's Jason Jennings (1-1), last season's NL Rookie of the
Year, went five-plus innings, allowing six hits and three runs.

Jennings, rebounding from his opening-day start when he yielded
eight runs in just four innings, also hit a double and scored a
run.

Schilling, who pitched seven shutout innings before giving up
four runs in the eighth inning Tuesday, allowed six hits and five
runs in five innings. He walked three and struck out seven.

The Rockies sent nine batters to the plate in the first. Chris
Stynes led off with a four-pitch walk, Kapler singled and Helton
homered to right, his first. After Wilson drew a four-pitch walk
and Jose Hernandez had an infield single, Brent Butler hit an RBI
single to right.

Three doubles helped Arizona cut the deficit to 4-2 in the
second. Luis Gonzalez doubled off the left-field wall and scored on
Mark Grace's double down the left-field line. Grace scored on
Baerga's double to right-center.

The Rockies made it 5-2 in the fourth. Jennings doubled off
Quinton McCracken's glove in deep center field, went to third on a
groundout and scored on Kapler's infield single. Kapler added
another RBI single in the eighth.

Arizona ran itself out of a big inning in the sixth. McCracken
singled, Craig Counsell walked and Danny Bautista hit an RBI
single, chasing Jennings.

Gonzalez singled to center off Brian Fuentes, but Counsell,
trying to score from second, was thrown out at the plate by Wilson.
Matt Williams also singled, but Bautista stopped at third after
left fielder Kapler's strong throw. Grace followed with a fly to
right, and Walker's throw to the plate caught Bautista in a
rundown, resulting in a double play.

"That could have been an ugly inning,'' Colorado manager Clint
Hurdle said.

In the Rockies' half, pinch-hitter Chris Richard hit an RBI
triple.

Game notes
Rockies 2B Ronnie Belliard did not play. While turning a
double play Saturday, Belliard twisted his right knee after contact
with baserunner David Dellucci. Belliard was sore Sunday but was
available. ... Barajas strained his left hamstring while rounding
first base on a single in the seventh. The Diamondbacks said he
will go on the disabled list, and they will recall catcher Robby
Hammock from Triple-A Tucson.