San Diego – They keep coming, it seems, a new one every month, filling the season with surprise.
They are firsts that continue to provide eloquent explanation why the Rockies are no longer in last. They are refreshing, such as Ryan Spilborghs’ initial big-league home run. They are strange – it’s not every day players rub their hands with disinfectant before batting practice to avoid catching a flu that sidelined two coaches.
And they are significant, none more than Jason Jennings’ first victory in 25 days, a dazzling Memorial Day two-hitter in the Rockies’ 5-0 win over the San Diego Padres.
Jennings went five years between his first and second complete-game shutouts. He went four weeks between his second and third, a thrifty 119-pitch masterpiece.
“Sometimes you feel like you are in a zone and you can throw every pitch where you want to,” said Jennings, 3-5 with a 4.54 ERA. “I felt like that tonight.”
Jennings was born and raised in Texas, but he has never been more comfortable than in San Diego. He’s as much at home at Petco Park as Rubio’s fish tacos and tequila-laced margaritas. Jennings never has lost here – his latest gem bringing the Rockies within 2 1/2 games of the division-leading Arizona Diamondbacks and ensuring the Padres will make the first bid when Jennings becomes a free agent.
“He didn’t leave anything over the plate,” San Diego third baseman Mark Bellhorn said. “When a guy can locate three pitches for nine innings, there’s not much you can do.”
Jennings is not demonstrative on the mound, but he couldn’t hide his frustration off it. He entered the game saddled with five defeats, in part because the Rockies had scored just 10 runs for him in May.
“It’s hard not to let it get to you,” said Jennings, 4-0 at Petco with a 2.95 ERA. “But you know eventually it’s going to turn around.”
His start Monday brought another challenge, one that quietly pointed out what makes Jennings successful. Pitching coach Bob Apodaca never made it to the ballpark, bedridden at the team hotel. While the players playfully joked about the issue, volunteering graybeard Jose Mesa to take over, Jennings wasn’t concerned.
“I have to be my coach out there,” Jennings said before the game, alluding to his ability to make in-game adjustments. “It will be weird, though, when (manager Clint) Hurdle comes out. I won’t know if he’s coming to talk to me or make a change.”
Hurdle never crossed the foul line, watching as Jennings coldly dissected the Padres.
He unleashed 70 fastballs – 50 of which he estimated were cutters that he used primarily to lock up right-handers on the inside corner. A sneaky changeup and a backdoor slider – particularly effective against left-handers, Bellhorn admitted – sealed his second complete game of the season.
“It was a pleasure to watch the way he worked,” said Spilborghs, his first home run ball soon to be a gift to his parents.
A day after the park hosted six home runs, the Padres were feeble. Their offense amounted to two singles, from Bellhorn in the second and Adrian Gonzalez in the eighth.
What little support Jennings required came during a second-inning outburst. Matt Holliday, hitting .420 in May, and Brad Hawpe homered, shoving Colorado ahead 3-0. Satisfied, Jennings spent the rest of the evening throwing up bagels.
“Out of the box, he was on,” Hawpe said. “Everything was working.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5447 or trenck@denverpost.com.
