Had the Rockies’ starting lineup walked into a local tavern Thursday night, most of them would have been carded.
But the kid Rockies were more than all right in an 8-4 victory over the vaunted New York Mets at Coors Field. After losing five straight to New York by a combined score of 36-15, the victory produced big grins and a few fist pumps.
“It was embarrassing the last couple of games, the way we played against them,” said third baseman Garrett Atkins, whose two-run homer in the fourth inning, his 22nd of the season, gave the Rockies some room the breathe. “It was nice to come out and score some runs and play better baseball. We know if we play good baseball we can compete with anybody.”
The 26-year-old Atkins, in his second full big-league season, was practically an elder statesman Thursday night. The Rockies started four rookies: catcher Chris Iannetta, shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, right fielder Ryan Spilborghs and center fielder Choo Freeman (technically a rookie). Second-year starting pitcher Jeff Francis, just 25, could pass for 19. Only second baseman Jamey Carroll (32) and first baseman Todd Helton (33) are older than 26.
Facing the National League’s most explosive lineup, Francis was grinding through each of his five innings, but he earned the win, improving to 11-10. The Mets raked Francis for four runs, including a mammoth first-inning solo homer to right by third baseman David Wright that put the Rockies in a 2-0 hole. Francis surrendered 10 hits, his most this season.
“I didn’t have good stuff tonight,” he admitted.
But Francis came back swinging. Breaking a 0-for-22 drought, he went 2-for-2, with an RBI single in the third and a sacrifice fly to deep center in the fifth that almost left the park. His two RBIs were a career-high.
“I really didn’t think it was going that far, I just wanted it to be deep enough to score a run,” he said.
“I was more surprised with his offense than his pitching,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “To get a couple of RBIs and a couple of hits on that side of the ball is a big step forward for him. The pitching part of it was work; it was an exercise for him. It was a hard 103 pitches, but he was able to stay away from the big inning.”
The Rockies’ key at-bats came in their three-run first. Matt Holliday’s bases-loaded single drove in Carroll and Helton, and Iannetta’s single drove home Atkins.
Freeman, making his first start since Aug. 19, went 2-for-4 with an RBI-single in the third and a triple in the fifth, then scored on Francis’ sacrifice.
Granted, the Rockies did most of their damage against shaky Mets starter Oliver Perez (2-11, 7.29), who hasn’t won since May 17 when he pitched for Pittsburgh. But for a Rockies team that stumbled into the game having lost nine of its past 11, it was a satisfying evening. Plus, the scoreboard helped hush Mets fans who incessantly chanted “Let’s Go, Mets!” in the early going.
The 21-year-old Tulowitzki, making his second straight start since getting called up from Double-A Tulsa, recorded his first major-league hit. It came in the third, off Perez. Tulowitzki drilled a hot shot to Mets shortstop Jose Reyes, who gloved the ball but ended up on the seat of his pants. Reyes got off a throw, but too late to nail Tulowitzki at first.
“I knew I hit it right at him, but I was running so hard I didn’t see it,” Tulowitzki said. “But it was a relief to get it. It’s something that not too many people can say they did. I’m glad it happened tonight.”
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
