Rockies 8, Red Sox 3

DENVER -- The Boston Red Sox are trying to finish with the best record in the American League to gain home-field advantage in the playoffs.

The Colorado Rockies' aspirations are far less grandiose: finish a losing season strong.

The Rockies beat the Red Sox 8-3 Monday night, hitting three solo home runs and then erupting four runs in the seventh to blow the game open.

Colorado's Tyler Chatwood, who spent August on the list with an elbow injury, won for the first time in six starts since July 26. Chatwood (8-5) allowed three hits and one unearned run in seven innings.

Charlie Blackmon, Troy Tulowitzki and Corey Dickerson homered for the Rockies. DJ LeMahieu and Michael Cuddyer each had two RBIs, and Cuddyer went 2-for-4 to raise his average to .335, giving him an eight-point lead over the Atlanta Braves' Chris Johnson in the National League batting race. Johnson did not play in Atlanta's win Tuesday.

The Red Sox entered play with a one-game lead over the Oakland Athletics for the AL's best record.

Three home runs off Red Sox starter John Lackey helped give the Rockies take a 4-0 lead through four innings. Three of the four runs scored with two outs.

Blackmon opened the first with his sixth home run and the first leadoff homer of his career. The Rockies scored a second run in the inning when Cuddyer doubled with two outs and scored on Todd Helton's single. It was career hit No. 2,515 for Helton, moving him past Buddy Bell into 94th place all-time.

Tulowitzki's two-out homer in the third gave the Rockies a 3-0 lead. It was his 25th homer of the season and third in four games.

Dickerson hit his fifth homer of the season with two outs in the fourth.

Lackey (10-13) allowed four runs in six innings.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a ninth-inning homer for Boston.

NOTES: Rockies hitting coach Dante Bichette, citing "the tug of the family," said he would not return after one season in that role. ...Red Sox CF Jacoby Ellsbury took batting practice and could play Wednesday for a few innings for the first time since Sept. 5. He is recovering from a compression fracture in his right foot. ... The Rockies set their rotation for the rest of the season. RHP Jhoulys Chacin will start Wednesday against Boston. RHP Collin McHugh will start Friday at Dodger Stadium, with RHP Juan Nicasio scheduled for Saturday and Chatwood set to pitch Sunday. LHP Jorge De La Rosa, who has been bothered by a thumb injury and last pitched Sept. 10, and RHP Roy Oswalt are not scheduled to start. ... Rockies C Wilin Rosario is expected to be ready to start in the weekend series at Los Angeles. A right calf strain has caused him to miss the past six games. ... With no DH in the lineup and a right-handed pitcher starting for the Rockies, left-handed-hitting David Ortiz made his fifth start of the season at first base. He went 1-for-3 with a walk. Regular 1B Mike Napoli, a right-handed hitter, did not play.