Pumping his fist in jubilation, Yorvit Torrealba stood on second base Tuesday night, a symbol of the Rockies’ most important victory of the young season.
The fiery catcher’s bases-loaded double in the eighth off reliever Kevin Correia lifted the Rockies to a 5-3 victory over the Giants, snapped a three-game losing streak and pumped blood into an offense that has been lifeless for much of the season.
“I was excited. We finally scored some runs and I helped the team win,” Torrealba said.
Plus, there was that little bonus of sticking it to the Giants, a team he played with for 3 1/2 years, but who never gave him a real opportunity to be their primary catcher. So when his hooking double bounced off left fielder Todd Linden’s glove near the left-field foul line, Torrealba had an extra reason to celebrate.
“You feel more excited when it’s against your former team, but anytime you help your team win, that’s the biggest thing,” he said.
Clutch hits are nothing new to Torrealba. He drove in 43 runs in just 65 games last season, including a memorable two-out, two-run homer in the ninth against Padres closer Trevor Hoffman on July 27 in game the Rockies eventually won in 10 innings.
Torrealba’s double Tuesday climaxed a strange, two-faced game.
For seven innings, Giants starter Matt Cain handcuffed the Rockies. Cain allowed only two hits in seven innings and struck out seven. His performance came one night after Barry Zito allowed just three hits in six innings as the Giants cruised 8-0.
So there was little indication the Rockies were about to blow the game open when Steve Finley stepped to the plate as a pinch hitter to lead off the bottom of the eighth. Up to that point, Finley was in an 0-for-14 skid and had just one hit all season. To make matters worse, Colorado had gone 22 innings without a run, dating to Todd Helton’s solo homer to lead off the third inning Sunday in Arizona.
But Finley drilled a homer off reliever Vinnie Chulk, cutting San Francisco’s lead to 3-1.
“The odds were starting to get in my favor, so sooner or later I knew I was going to get a hit,” said Finley, adding that he was looking for a fastball all the way.
After Finley’s homer, the Giants’ bullpen collapsed in quick order. Garrett Atkins hit a two-out single off Chulk, Helton drew a walk from Jonathan Sanchez and Matt Holliday got an infield single off Correia to load the bases.
Up came Brad Hawpe who coaxed an RBI walk, bringing Atkins home and making it 3-2. Manager Clint Hurdle lauded Helton and Hawpe for their patience at the plate.
“Helton’s walk, what a classic at-bat that was,” Hurdle said. “For Brad to show some discipline, take the walk and move on down the road, it was great.”
Closer Brian Fuentes set down the Giants in order in the ninth for his third save. He struck out two and was aided by a leaping catch by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.
Colorado received a solid performance by rookie starter Jason Hirsh. He pitched seven innings, allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and three walks.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
