Coors Field’s infamous humidor didn’t scare Oakland Athletics slugger Nick Swisher on Wednesday night.
And relievers Brian Fuentes, Ray King and Ramon Ramirez couldn’t save the Rockies.
Swisher hit two homers, one left-handed and one right-handed, and scored the winning run in the 11th inning as the Athletics beat Colorado 3-2 to avoid a three-game sweep.
Swisher came home on a bloop single to left by Bobby Kielty. Swisher drew a walk from the struggling King to lead off the 11th. Kielty hit his game-winner off Ramirez.
Swisher’s homers were the night’s story. He led off the ninth with a 402-foot shot to left off Fuentes, tying the game 2-2. The night’s big question was why Rockies manager Clint Hurdle replaced starter Aaron Cook with Fuentes in the first place.
“He’s our closer, and he’s been very successful in that role,” Hurdle said of Fuentes, who blew his third save opportunity of the season.
Though Swisher hit his game-tying homer right-handed, the next two Oakland hitters, Mark Kotsay and Eric Chavez, are both left-handed hitters. Hurdle figured the left-handed Fuentes would be effective against them.
Even though Hurdle pulled Cook, he called his starter’s performance “fantastic.”
Coming on the heels of gems by Byung-Hyun Kim and Jason Jennings, Cook pitched eight innings, allowing just four hits and one run. Cook’s sinker – he induced 17 groundball outs – was a bottomless pit for A’s batters.
“I definitely could have gone back out there for the ninth, but it’s a 2-1 ballgame and we have one of the best closers in the game, and it’s time to hand him the ball and let him do the job,” said Cook, who was pulled after throwing just 95 pitches.
The lone run Cook surrendered also came off Swisher’s bat. The A’s left fielder led off the third inning with a rocket into the trees beyond the center-field fence to tie the game 1-1.
“Last night, (A’s pitcher) Joe Blanton told me to stop trying to hit home runs,” said Swisher, who has 19 homers. “That was a good kick in the pants, and it came from my best buddy.”
Swisher’s first homer ended a Rockies franchise record 25 consecutive scoreless innings, dating to Sunday’s game in St. Louis. The streak encompassed Colorado’s back-to- back shutouts of Oakland on Monday and Tuesday.
The Rockies appeared to have the pitchers’ duel won in the seventh inning when Ryan Spilborghs hit a sacrifice fly to center, driving in Choo Freeman for a 2-1 lead.
Freeman also scored the Rockies’ first run of the game when he doubled in the second inning and came around to score on a throwing error by Oakland starter Barry Zito. The left-handed Zito, known for his huge curveball, was nearly as sharp as Cook, allowing two runs (one earned) on eight hits in seven innings.
The Rockies had a chance to blow open the game and possible chase Zito in the fifth inning. But with the bases loaded, Matt Holliday hit into a double play to end the threat.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
