DENVER – Vinny Castilla and Todd Helton drove in two runs each to help Joe Kennedy win for the first time in eight starts, and the Colorado Rockies ended an eight-game losing streak by holding on for a 6-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night.

Castilla was 3-for-4, including his 16th homer, and Helton went 1-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored for the Rockies, who were four losses short of the franchise’s longest losing streak.

Kennedy (5-4) gave up seven hits and three innings in five innings to win for the first time since beating Montreal on May 5. He had been 0-4 in his previous seven starts.

Shawn Chacon threw 31 pitches and faced the tying run in the ninth before finishing for his 11th save in 16 attempts.

Chacon hit Mark Bellhorn with a pitch with one out, and walked Manny Ramirez with two outs to put the tying run at the plate. Nomar Garciaparra reached on an infield single to deep short to load the bases, but Chacon struck out Jason Varitek to end it.

Bronson Arroyo (2-5) worked the first six innings and gave up four runs, but remained winless in his last five starts.

Castilla hit a liner over the scoreboard in right to lead off the second inning, giving Colorado a 1-0 lead.

Boston took a 3-1 lead in the third when Gabe Kapler and Johnny Damon reached on infield singles, and Bellhorn doubled them in. Bellhorn extended his hitting streak to 13 games with two hits and drove in two runs.

The Red Sox loaded the bases when Kennedy hit Kevin Millar with a pitch and walked Ramirez. Garciaparra’s sacrifice fly to right scored Bellhorn.

The Rockies scored three times in the third to regain the lead. Todd Helton walked with two outs, Castilla singled and Jeromy Burnitz followed with an RBI single to right. Castilla also scored when Kapler’s throw from right field bounced off Garciaparra’s glove and into short left field.

Kennedy worked out of a no-out, bases-loaded jam without allowing a run in the fifth. Garciaparra lined out, Varitek forced Bellhorn at the plate and Kevin Youkilis grounded out to second.

Helton homered with Royce Clayton aboard in the eighth inning of Alan Embree to make it 6-3.

Notes: 2B Pokey Reese was a late scratch with a strained toe on his right foot. … RHP Curt Schilling will have an MRI on his right ankle after his scheduled start Wednesday. … OF Trot Nixon makes his 2004 debut Wednesday. … The Red Sox have doubled in 39 consecutive games. … OF Larry Walker was 0-for-2 Tuesday in the first game of a rehab assignment at Double A Tulsa.

AP-ES-06-16-04 0005EDT