o, he struggled for performance up until his final lap in Q3 when he found over 0.3s in performance on his previous laps to take a vital front row grid slot. Despite being off the pace of te

DENVER -- The Rockies struck out in their bid to make up ground against a last-place team.Colorado tied a season high by fanning 15 times in an 11-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday.This after striking out 12 times the night before.Colorado has whiffed 12 times or more in consecutive home games for the first time in franchise history, according to the team.In losing two of three to last-place Tampa Bay, the Rockies were outscored 25-11 and outhit 35-24 with 31 strikeouts.We understood that we were going to face a team that is having a tough time, Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said. We are in a situation where weve got to make things happen -- and it didnt happen.Archer (5-13) struck out 11 over six innings for his first win since June 6. He also took some inspiration from rookie Blake Snell, who pitched a gem the night before. Archer went out and tried to duplicate it.Nearly did, too.Archer allowed two runs and four hits to halt a slide in which he had lost six of seven starts.Archer struck us out a lot today and pitched well, said Gonzalez, who scored a run in the eighth, his 600th as a member of the Rockies. He mixed his pitches where he needs to and as a hitter it was frustrating not being able to score runs.Evan Longoria kept up his hot hitting with two doubles as the Rays captured their first road series since June 6-8 at Arizona. Longoria turned in a big series with two doubles, two triples, a homer and five RBI.Jorge De La Rosa (6-7) lasted only four innings and gave up nine runs, seven of them earned. He usually fares well at Coors Field -- with a better home ERA (4.27) than on the road (4.38) since joining Colorado.Everything was bad, De La Rosa explained. I threw pitches where I dont have to throw them.Tampa Bay trailed 2-1 before breaking open the game with three runs in third and five more in the fourth.Former Rockies outfielder Corey Dickerson had three hits, including a triple, to increase his career average in this park to .360. He was traded to the Rays last January for reliever Jake McGee.With two doubles Wednesday, Longoria has 50 extra base hits this season. Only one other Tampa Bay player, Aubrey Huff in 2003, had that many through 94 games.Archer allowed two runs in the second but quickly settled into a groove. He struck out the side in the fourth and the sixth -- his last pitch a 96 mph fastball that Mark Reynolds couldnt hit.We saw two guys the last two days that throw a lot of good breaking balls, Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Snell had a real good slider. Archer had a real good slider. That was the common denominator the last two games.TRAINERS ROOMRays: OF Kevin Kiermaier got the day off.FEELING PRESIDENTIALWeiss is playfully campaigning for his man: Gerardo Parra.Weiss wore a Parra for President T-shirt before the game. The shirts were created as a joke before the season and Parras teammates constantly wear them.More pressing than getting Parra into the White House is getting him back on the field. The outfielder is on the disabled list with a sprained left ankle.THIS & THATRockies hitting coach Blake Doyle was throw out in the second inning for something he said from the dugout to home plate umpire Paul Emmel concerning the strike zone. ... There was a review over a tag at home plate in the second inning that lasted 6 minutes, 28 seconds, and had players just standing around. Archer threw warmup pitches. ... OF Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to 12 games.UP NEXTRockies: Righty Chad Bettis (7-6) makes his 20th start of the season when Colorado opens a four-game series against Atlanta.Khari Willis Jersey . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Peyton Manning Colts Jersey . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. http://www.coltsofficialstore.us/authentic-bobby-okereke-colts-jersey/ . 31, the CFL club announced Monday. The team also has yet to decide on the future of Doug Berry, who began the season as a consultant to the head coach but took over the offensive co-ordinators duties in July. Devin Funchess Jersey . On Saturday night, the normally free throw-challenged centre did just that. Howard scored 18 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, including 13 of 19 free throws in a 2 1/2-minute stretch, and the Houston Rockets beat the Denver Nuggets 122-111. Devin Funchess Womens Jersey . Bjorn, who had a 36-hole total of 8-under 134, made a testing six-foot putt to save par on the 16th and a birdie on the 17th before bogeying the final hole after a misjudged approach shot. American Kevin Streelman was in second place after shooting a 69.Nico Rosberg believes the struggle for performance he faced at the Mexican Grand Prix was unique to the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez and he does not expect it to reoccur at the final two rounds.Although Rosberg quailifed and finished second in Mexico, he struggled for performance up until his final lap in Q3 when he found over 0.3s in performance on his previous laps to take a vital front row grid slot. Despite being off the pace of teammate Lewis Hamilton all weekend, he is confident he will not have the same issues at the upcoming rounds in Brazil and Abu Dhabi.This year [in Mexico] was unique because the tyres were cold all weekend, and it made the car quite nervous, so that was a unique experience this weekend, he said. Rosberg also played down his pace early in the race when Hamilton was able to build a lead over him in the first stint.What were doing is mmanaging the tyres to do the best possible race, I knew the stint was going to be very long, and at the end of the stint I was doing some really good times which meant I should stay out longer, so thats what I was doing, managing my stint lengths, it has nothing to do pure performance at that point in time.ddddddddddddRosberg, who has a 19-point lead over Hamilton in the standings, has made a point of targeting individual race wins rather than the championship this year and says that approach will not change at the last two rounds.Yeah, its cool to be in that situation, but Im not going to change my approach because thats what feels best. I need to do what feels best and where I can perform at my best. Thats the way its going to be. ' ' '