Desperate for a hero to lift them out of their funk, the Rockies received an intrepid performance from Jason Hirsh this afternoon in a 4-2 victory over the Padres at Coors Field.
The rookie right-hander outpitched Greg Maddux for the second time this season. In seven innings Hirsh allowed two earned runs on just four hits. Hirsh struck out seven and walked two.
His only big mistake was giving up a leadoff homer to Khalil Greene in the seventh.
The Rockies’ victory halted their three-game losing streak and was a saving grace to a disappointing 3-4 homestand.
Hirsh’s performance was reminiscent of his Rockies debut April 6 against the Padres in San Diego. In that 4-3 Colorado victory, Hirsh pitched 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on six hits and striking out a career-high eight.
The Rockies didn’t batter Maddux, the four-time Cy Young winner, but they roughed him up enough to secure the victory. The Rockies scored all four runs off Maddux, making the most of seven hits.
Matt Holliday continued to sizzle at the plate, nearly hitting for the cycle. The left fielder hit a double in the second, a run-scoring single in the fourth and a triple in the sixth. His chance to complete the cycle with a homer failed in the eighth when he grounded into a double play. In his past 10 games, Holliday hit 18-for-37 (.486), raising his average to .382.
After Hirsh departed, the Rockies got two solid innings of relief from setup man Manny Corpas and closer Brian Fuentes.
The Rockies begin a three-game series against the Mets on Monday in New York. Over the past four seasons, the Rockies are just 7-19 at Shea Stadium.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
