DENVER -- Evidently, Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela has to pitch into the eighth inning to take home a win around here.

Senzatela gave up three runs (one earned) in 7 2/3 innings as the Rockies won their third straight and extended the Rangers’ woes to eight straight losses -- as well as 14 straight on the road -- as Colorado secured a 6-3 win at Coors Field on Wednesday night.

Before Senzatela (2-5) scattered seven hits while throwing an efficient 89 pitches, his only prior win was an eight-inning, four-hit gem in which he piloted an 8-0 victory on April 7. Whether Senzatela has been good (seven games with three or fewer earned runs), bad or indifferent, the Rockies are 3-8 in his starts.

“He’s shown over the past couple years the even temperament, the self-discipline to maintain his poise,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “But yet, he’s as intense a competitor as we have. There’s emotion in there. There’s fire in the belly that we love. But he’s grown up.

“We haven't given him a lot of run support. Look at his record -- 2-5 -- but he’s pitched some really good games and come out with the game in the balance.”

That was the case Wednesday. After two hits off Senzatela in the eighth, Black called upon Carlos Estévez, who fanned Joey Gallo to keep the score 4-3. Joshua Fuentes’ fifth homer of the year and Raimel Tapia’s single for his third RBI and third hit (including two doubles) in the bottom of the frame made for a comfortable sixth save for Daniel Bard.

Senzatela has been part of a rotation that has posted a 2.40 ERA in its last 13 home games. Starting pitching is the key reason that the Rockies, who are 4-22 on the road, are 18-12 at Coors Field. 

“This is our home, so everybody’s trying to put the best performance they can out there,” said Senzatela, who has gone at least seven innings at Coors Field three times this season, and has eight career home starts with at least seven innings pitched and one earned run or fewer allowed.

The Rockies have an old-school approach to pitching, especially at home, where Black will ride a pitcher an extra inning if he is feeling good. He might have pushed Germán Márquez into the eighth in Tuesday night’s 3-2 victory had Márquez not matter-of-factly said that he felt his fastball control was waning. And Senzatela is old-school Coors Field.

Like Aaron Cook or Pedro Astacio or Kyle Freeland, Senzatela is a tried and true Rockies ground-ball pitcher. He logged 12 ground-ball outs Wednesday. When the grounders are high, the runs stay low.

“When you look at my best performances, I command my fastball down and I get the hitters to hit grounders for me,” said Senzatela. “We’ve got a good defense, so I put it in my mind to make guys hit the ball on the ground.

“I want to strike out people, but sometimes I get grounders.”