Although Maddux’s velocity has declined, Black noted that he still has great movement and can change speeds.

“Greg will have movement when he’s throwing to his grandchildren,” Black said. “He’ll change speeds to his grandson, probably.”

Maddux was sharp, including retiring the first seven batters.

His one mistake came when he fielded Willy Taveras’ dribbler to the right of the mound leading off the sixth and, in a rare defensive breakdown, threw wide of first baseman Gonzalez. Taveras sped around to third as the ball rolled into the Rockies’ bullpen down to the right-field line. Taveras scored on Omar Quintanilla’s grounder to third. It was Maddux’s first error since May 9, 2007, at Atlanta.

Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez (1-3) struck out a career-high 11 in taking the loss, allowing three runs and five hits in 6 1-3 innings.

Gonzalez hit an opposite-field homer to left with no outs in the fourth, his ninth. Tadahito Iguchi and Brian Giles walked ahead of Gonzalez, who homered on a 2-2 pitch.

The Rockies pulled to 3-2 in the eighth when Clint Barmes singled leading off against Heath Bell, advanced on a passed ball and scored on Taveras’ double to right.

Notes: RHP Greg Reynolds, the Rockies’ first-round pick in the 2006 draft, will make his major league debut as the Rockies’ starter in Sunday afternoon’s series finale. He’ll oppose RHP Chris Young.

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