With all-star left fielder Matt Holliday out with a bruised left wrist, the Rockies needed a lift from Ryan Spilborghs, and he provided. First, he hit a homer off Arizona ace Brandon Webb in the second inning. It ended the team’s 43-inning homerless streak. Then in the sixth, Spilborghs caught Orlando Hudson’s would-be sacrifice fly in left and nailed Conor Jackson at the plate for a double play. “It’s funny, because Cory (Sullivan) and I were talking just before that about needing to make a good throw home,” Spilborghs said.
SULLIVAN STAYS HOT: Sullivan went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored. He hit .450 (9-for-20) in the homestand and drew the praise of manager Clint Hurdle, who said, “He’s been more patient and (is) seeing the ball better. ”
VAST IMPROVEMENT: How much has the Rockies’ pitching improved this season over last? Last year, the team’s ERA was 5.13. This year it’s 4.09, a difference of 1.04 runs per game. That’s by far the biggest improvement by any major-league team. Detroit ranks second, dropping its 2005 ERA of 4.51 to 3.71 this season.
Looking ahead
TODAY: Rockies at Mets, 5:10 p.m., FSN
The Rockies caught a break when Mets ace Pedro Martinez went on the disabled list with a calf injury, so they won’t have to face him Saturday at Shea Stadium. But they still draw a tough task tonight in right-hander Steve Trachsel (11-5, 4.84 ERA). He’s 9-1 in his past 12 starts and fresh off an impressive outing against the Nationals. Trachsel didn’t get the decision, but threw a season-high 6M innings, yielding just one run in the Mets’ 3-1 victory. The Rockies’ Byung-Hyun Kim (7-7, 4.65) needs to move past Sunday’s shaky performance against the Cubs. Kim’s lone start at Shea came Sept. 30 last season in a 3-2 loss.
