Boston – Mediocrity and the Rockies finally came within handshaking distance on Tuesday. They have been edging toward .500 for three weeks. Their roster has fallen back into place, May’s red faces replaced by June’s defining white-knuckle moments.
Reaching an even ledger, however, proved as elusive as catching a butterfly.
With the 337th consecutive Fenway Park sellout crowd watching Tuesday night, the Rockies waved, whisked and wailed helplessly at Tim Wakefield’s knuckleball in a 2-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox.
“When he’s on, it’s like a nightmare game of whiffle ball,” said Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell. “I am glad I wasn’t in their position.”
Wakefield’s magic pitch – now you see it, now you don’t – splattered Ragu on Aaron Cook’s masterpiece. The right-hander was a single mistake – a groundball single by Dustin Pedroia – short of his season’s crowning achievement. The Rockies haven’t discussed a long-term contract with Cook. He vests a $5 million option if he reaches 187 1/3 innings this season – but he’s certainly giving them something to ponder.
Given the opponent and the lineup, this represented one of Cook’s finest outings: 7 1/3 innings, seven hits, two runs. And his third loss of the season. It came with a sting after Jeremy Affeldt gave up an eighth- inning sacrifice fly to J.D. Drew.
“It’s frustrating,” said Cook, who threw a season-high 119 pitches and exited to flattering applause from the Red Sox fans near the Rockies’ dugout. “This is one of the most fun places I have ever pitched. I felt great out there.”
The Rockies’ hitters, meanwhile, were dealing with confusion if not nausea with every peek at the scoreboard. Wakefield bedazzled them for eight innings, his knuckleball assuming several identities. According to witnesses, it was a slider to left-handers, a sinker to right-handers and a dizzy fastball to both.
“And sometimes it did all three things on the way to the plate,” Brad Hawpe said. “When I hit my double (in the eighth), I just closed my eyes and tried to barrel it.”
Catcher Doug Mirabelli, Wakefield’s personal catcher, called the pitch nasty. The Rockies’ lack of familiarity with Wakefield only complicated matters. The Rockies had only five at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Catcher Yorvit Torrealba tied the game 1-1 with an eighth-inning single, scoring Hawpe. That represented the highlight reel.
“I know they have a pretty good lineup over there. I was just trying to get our offense back in the dugout as soon as possible,” Wakefield said. “I had a pretty good feel for the knuckleball tonight.”
Cook attempted to squeeze off the Red Sox, who have baseball’s best record at 41-22, in the eighth when he fender-bendered trouble. It was something simple, a Pedroia single to left field. After retiring Kevin Youkilis, Cook was lifted for left-hander Affeldt, who had held David Ortiz hitless in 12 at-bats. Ortiz doubled to right on a high fastball, a pitch Affeldt called a mistake. With one out, Manny Ramirez was intentionally walked, setting up Drew’s sacrifice fly, an outcome Affeldt could have avoided had he not run the count to 3-1.
“I put myself in a bad position,” Affeldt said. “It’s hard to make the pitch you want there.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
