Rockies 10, Reds 5 (2nd): Michael Cuddyer hit for the cycle in his second game since missing 63 contests because of a broken shoulder as host Colorado completed a doubleheader sweep of struggling Cincinnati.

Cuddyer's two-run double highlighted a five-run eighth inning and followed Corey Dickerson's tiebreaking two-run double as the Rockies scored the game's final eight runs to drop the Reds 4 1/2 games behind San Francisco for the final wild card spot in the National League. Dickerson recorded three RBIs, Nolan Arenado and Drew Stubbs also drive in runs and Adam Ottavino (1-4) earned the victory with two strikeouts in a perfect eighth inning as Colorado took three of four from Cincinnati.

Ryan Ludwick homered, Billy Hamilton had three hits and scored twice, while Jay Bruce, Ramon Santiago and Brayan Pena drove in one run apiece for the Reds, who lost for the fifth time in six games. Cincinnati wasted a strong performance by Dylan Axelrod, who was called up from Triple-A to replace the disabled Homer Bailey (right elbow strain) and allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out seven in six innings of his first major-league game of 2014.

The Reds started fast as Hamilton doubled and Santiago reached on an infield hit to begin the first inning, but scored only once on a fielder's choice grounder by Bruce. The Rockies got even when Brandon Barnes led off the fifth by belting a 3-1 offering well over the wall in left-center for his sixth home run of the season.

After Ludwick's 458-foot two-run homer sparked a three-run fifth to give Cincinnati a 4-1 lead, Cuddyer delivered a lead-off shot in the sixth to cut the Rockies' deficit to 4-2. Dickerson's RBI single made it 5-3 in the seventh and Colorado loaded the bases with one out later in the frame before Nolan Arenado hit a grounder to third baseman Santiago, who stepped on third but threw wildly to first, allowing two runs to score.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rookie RHP Carlos Contreras (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) in 1 1/3 innings, including one-out singles to Wilin Rosario and Charlie Culberson in the eighth ... Cuddyer's second career cycle - his first came with Minnesota on May 22, 2009 - was the seventh in Rockies history, with Carlos Gonzalez last performing the feat July 31, 2010. ... Yohan Flande allowed four runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings for the Rockies, who won the opener 10-9 when Drew Stubbs' three-run walk-off homer in the ninth capped a five-run frame. ... Ludwick is hitting .393 with 11 homers and 29 RBIs in 28 games at Coors Field.