The stage was set Monday night at Coors Field for a perfect night of baseball, hot dogs and saluting America.
And when the Rockies rallied to score four runs in the seventh to take a one-run lead over the San Francisco Giants, all that was missing was John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes For- ever.” And, in fact, that came later as part of a fireworks extravaganza.
But as it turned out, the Rockies’ bullpen was a big dud the night before the Fourth of July.
Colorado relievers gave up three runs on five hits in the eighth inning, and two more runs in the ninth, as the Giants won 9-6. San Franciso moved past the Rockies into second place in the National League West, half a game behind idle San Diego. The Rockies (42-40) fell a full game behind the Padres.
“Anytime your offense gives you six runs, you have to find a way to win,” said Ray King, one of three relievers toasted by the Giants’ bats. “There is no way to sugarcoat it. Tonight we just didn’t get it done.”
For much of 2006, the Rockies’ bullpen has been a feel-good story, but those vibes were absent Monday. Rookie reliever Ramon Ramirez, a phenom early in the season, gave up two hits – back-to-back doubles by Pedro Feliz and Todd Greene – and surrendered two runs. He was charged with the loss and his second blown save, the other coming last Wednesday against the Angels in Anaheim.
“I’m still confident,” Ramirez said after his ERA jumped from 2.10 to 2.57. “When I try to throw the ball too hard it gets up.”
Rockies manager Clint Hurdle discounted the idea that major-league hitters, having gotten a good look at Ramirez, are starting to tee off on him.
“The kid was so effective early and now he’s battling some turbulence,” Hurdle said. “He’s elevating the ball a little bit and not getting the ball in some spots we would like him to. Right now, he’s just missing.”
Omar Vizquel went 4-for-5 for the Giants, including a run-scoring single off King in the eighth, as he bumped his average to .309. Feliz’s two-run homer to left off David Cortes in the ninth provided the Giants with plenty of insurance.
Against San Francisco southpaw Noah Lowry, the Rockies’ bats fizzled until the seventh inning. That’s when the pyrotechnics began, much to the delight of a raucous sellout crowd.
It began when Jamey Carroll drew a one-out walk. Then Todd Helton walked to the plate, swung at Lowry’s first pitch and lined a two-run homer into the Colorado bullpen in right-center field. Helton’s ninth homer of the season cut the Giants’ lead to 4-3.
“That’s one of the best swings Todd’s had in a while,” Hurdle said.
The Rockies tied the game on a single by Matt Holliday, followed by a double to deep center by Garrett Atkins. They took a 5-4 lead when Jorge Piedra, pinch-hitting for Yorvit Torrealba, dribbled a base hit in front of gimpy Giants left fielder Barry Bonds, scoring Atkins.
In Hurdle’s opinion, starter Aaron Cook pitched well enough for the Rockies to win, but Cook’s own judgment was much harsher.
“I was horrible,” Cook said after giving up four runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings. “I just didn’t hit any spots. I missed my location tonight and I wasn’t getting any groundball outs.”
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
