PHILADELPHIA -- Wilin Rosario got some words of encouragement and then broke himself and the Colorado Rockies out of an offensive slump. Rosario hit a go-ahead, three-run homer and Jorge De La Rosa pitched six strong innings to lift the Rockies to a 6-2 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night. Rosario entered the game without a hit in his previous 13 at-bats, but he got a pep talk from De La Rosa before the game. "I told Rosario in the training room before the game, You have to do something to win the game," a smiling De La Rosa said afterward. "And he did." Drew Stubbs went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI for the Rockies, who had lost four of five while being outscored 16-0 in their two previous games. "That was a great win because we battled hard," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. "We had a tough night (Monday). This team shows up well every day, and they turn the page. They went out there ready to win a game tonight." Ben Revere hit his first career homer in his 1,466th at-bat, and Darin Ruf also went deep for the Phillies. The start of the game was delayed 1 hour, 22 minutes due to rain. De La Rosa (6-3) continued his strong stretch, allowing one run and six hits with four strikeouts and two walks. The left-hander is 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA in his last seven starts. He wiggled out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third when he got Revere to ground out, Jimmy Rollins to pop out and Chase Utley to fly out. "I just tried to keep the ball on the ground," De La Rosa said. "Thats how I got out of it." Said Weiss, "I feel like the game kind of turned right there. That was critical." Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg agreed. "Came back to haunt us," Sandberg said. "Thats a big momentum inning for them getting out of it. . Theres just something about getting the job done in that situation." Philadelphia starter Cole Hamels (1-3) was cruising along until walking consecutive batters with one out in the seventh. After Justin Morneau flied out for the second out, Rosario broke out of a slump by lifting Hamels first pitch just over the wall in right to give Colorado a 4-1 lead. He had been 0 for 15 before the homer, his sixth in 10 career games at Citizens Bank Park. "That was a big hit for him, a real money hit," Weiss said. Said Hamels, "If the pitch is down, its a definite different result. Its just a poorly executed pitch. I have to be able to make that pitch." Hamels left after the seventh after giving up four runs and three hits with four strikeouts and those two walks. Reveres one-out homer off left-handed reliever Boone Logan in the seventh just cleared the wall in right to pull Philadelphia within 4-2. Revere pointed skyward after crossing the plate, then grinned while receiving congratulations from Rollins before entering a silent dugout. His teammates relented after a minute or so and mobbed the smiling Revere. "Its a good feeling," Revere said. "When I got to second base, I didnt know what to do. I was trying not to smile but some guys got on me. It was fun. Ill try to hit 400 more." Rufs fourth-inning homer to left tied the game at 1 and halted De La Rosas scoreless streak at 15 1-3 innings. Ruf was starting at first base in place of left-handed slugger Ryan Howard, who sat against the lefty starter despite going 3 for 4 with a homer and five RBIs in Philadelphias 9-0 win over Colorado on Monday and knocking in 14 runs in his last nine games against the Rockies. It was the first homer of the season for Ruf, who was activated from the disabled list last Wednesday after recovering from a left oblique strain. Howard pinch hit with one out and two on in the eighth against righty Adam Ottavino and grounded into an inning-ending double play. It was the 58th double play of the season for the Rockies, who led the majors in that category entering Tuesday. Colorado got on the board first with a run in the fourth on Troy Tulowitzkis hard-hit sacrifice fly. Tulowitzki, the NL batting leader who entered hitting .447 off lefties, went 0 for 2 against Hamels. NOTES: Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez was lifted after the fourth inning due to a right calf contusion. He is day-to-day. . Philadelphias Marlon Byrd went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts, dropping him to 1 for his last 17. ... LPGA golfer Gerina Piller was on hand to promote the tours stop this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic in Galloway, New Jersey. ... The three-game series concludes Wednesday night when Rockies RHP Jordan Lyles (5-1, 3.45) opposes Phillies RHP Roberto Hernandez (2-2, 3.83). Aaron Ekblad may be the most mature 18-year-old hockey player on the planet. "Not only does he have a 30-year-olds physique under his equipment but he also thinks and acts like a 10-year NHL vet," said Dan Stewart, scouting director for the independent scouting service Future Considerations. Ekblad, a two-way, right-shooting defenceman, knows what he wants to be not only in this weeks NHL draft but as a professional. Hed love to go No. 1 and continue to mould himself in the images of Shea Weber, Alex Pietrangelo and Duncan Keith. More than anything, though, the Barrie Colts captain wants to be considered reliable on and off the ice. "I dont do too many things that are going to surprise anyone," Ekblad said at last months scouting combine. "Im going to be the kind of player that you know what youre going to get from me." Steady and dependable doesnt put butts in seats, but Ekblad isnt touting himself as a flashy kind of player. Instead, and more importantly, he has the potential to develop into a franchise cornerstone. Because of that, the Belle River, Ont., native is the front-runner to be the top pick Friday night in Philadelphia, whether the Florida Panthers choose to keep it or trade it. Buffalo Sabres general manager Tim Murray said last week he expected Ekblad to go No. 1 regardless. If that happens, Ekblad would be the first defenceman to be selected with the top pick since Erik Johnson in 2006, and the first Canadian-born blue-liner in that spot since Chris Phillips in 1996. Ekblad knows it has been a "long time" since a defenceman was drafted first. But it would come as no shock to NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr. "Aaron Ekblad is a hard player to go past in the draft, I think, for any of the teams, and they know that," Marr said at the combine. "There doesnt seem to be a will to take a defenceman high because a lot of times you dont get the quick bang for your buck." Ekblad wants to provide that, just as 2013 No. 4 pick Seth Jones did for the Nashville Predators. "A hundred per cent" he wants to be in the NHL next season, and he told that to all 16 teams that interviewed him. "Thats the way I believe in myself," Ekblad said. "I wouldnt say Im cocky, but Im confident and I believe that if I work hard and I do all the little things and pay attention to details, I can be in that league next year." With that confidence in mind, Ekblad still watched games this past season and recognized the NHL is a hard league to crack and that getting drafted is just a foot in the door. "It means nothing until you prove that youre ready to do it," he said. Scouts believe Ekblad is prepared to prove it. In the six-foot-three, 213-pound prospect, Ross MacLean of ISS Hockey, another independent scouting service, sees someone with skills to insulate himself from making mistakes and the maturity to be able to adjust to the next level. "Hes a kid that I think probably couldve played in the NHL this year, let alone next year," MacLean said. "I think we saw that with Seth Jones, as well, last year. Theyve just been put into positions wheere theyve been able to acclimatize and get comfortable and confident and develop their skills at the appropriate pace, and theyre ready for the next step.dddddddddddd." Typically, theres a learning curve for even the best young defencemen before they can become NHL regulars, let alone stars. But a handful from the top 10 of the 2012 draft, including the Toronto Maple Leafs Morgan Rielly, Anaheim Ducks Hampus Lindholm and Columbus Blue Jackets Ryan Murray, played the full 2013-14 season and showed it may not be as steep as it once was. During the season, then-Predators and now Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz theorized that its because junior hockey has more pro systems designed to help defencemen adapt quicker. Stewart thinks Ekblad can adjust on the fly because of his awareness. After being given the captaincy in Barrie, Ekblad "was trying to do everything," Stewart said, before recognizing his weaknesses and dialling back to what hes good at. "He has shown time and time again that he learns from mistakes," Stewart said. "Ekblad is always thinking and while he does make some mistakes from time to time, he also shows an ability to compensate for any situational deficiencies. Because of his slower feet, while defending speedy forwards attacking the zone, he gives himself a little larger gap than say if he were going up against someone he feels he can easily wedge off the puck. "Its his advanced thinking on the fly and understanding of his position that should benefit him quickly at the next level." Physically, Ekblad is undoubtedly NHL-ready. After earning exceptional status to play in the OHL at the age of 15, he has gone through three junior seasons in Barrie and held his own at the world junior championship. Stewart was impressed with how Ekblad handled pressure situations and defensive responsibilities while playing for Canada at the world juniors. In Barrie, Colts teammate, roommate and best friend Brendan Lemieux — a projected first- or second-round pick in his own right and the son of former NHL agitator Claude Lemieux — saw Ekblad show even more. "Ek really showed that he was willing to stand up and answer the bell, even with his gloves off. I watched him pound a few guys this year," Lemieux said at the combine. "He might not show that physical presence and how big he is and how tough he can be, but hes a tough guy, too. Hes not just a super-skilled big guy, hes a super-skilled big, tough guy." Ekblad is certainly better known for his 23 goals and 30 assists than his three fights, and it was that offence balanced with defensive acumen that earned him OHL defenceman of the year honours. Its hard to be upset about that kind of season, but Ekblad insisted hes not satisfied with what he showed scouts. "Thats kind of the way everyone here should be thinking: I believe I can always be better," he said. "You look back on some games, some shifts and (think), What if you did this instead of that? I wouldnt say I have any regrets, per se. I think I had a pretty good year. But theres always things you couldve done." --- Follow @SWhyno on Twitter ' ' '