Rockies pitcher Jason Hirsh picked up his bat, looked onto the field where the grass was practically bubbling in the sixth inning and listened to some last-minute advice from manager Clint Hurdle.
“Either hit a home run or strike out,” Hurdle told his 6-foot-8, 250-pound rookie. “We don’t need you running.”
The New York Mets’ Jose Reyes is dangerous on the bases, but Hirsh is a threat to himself. So on a night when he turned in his best big-league performance, Hirsh will be remembered for twisting his right ankle on the third-base bag.
It came, fortunately for him, after he had already turned the knife in the Mets’ back, pitching brilliantly, if not economically, in the Rockies’ 6-2 win Monday at steamy Coors Field.
“It’s bittersweet,” Hirsh said after working six shutout innings, surrendering just three hits on 62 pitches. “I finally get two hits then I make a (fool) of myself.”
Think baseball doesn’t have a cruel sense of humor? Hirsh was 1-for-42 at the plate before delivering hits in his final two at-bats. He singled home two runs with a line drive down the first-base line in the Rockies’ six-run third inning. Then in the sixth inning, he legged out an infield single, setting in motion an unwanted speed and agility test on the second-hottest night game – 95 degrees – in Rockies history.
“His pitching was nothing but top shelf,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “But he hasn’t been a real offensive player for us. Obviously, you saw that he hasn’t spent a lot of time on the bases.”
Hirsh advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, and to third on Jamey Carroll’s single, then awkwardly turned his ankle as Mets catcher Paul Lo Duca tried to pick him off third base.
“I guess it looked pretty disgusting,” said Hirsh, who won for only the second time since April 22 and secured his spot in the rotation.
If Hirsh’s ankle wasn’t taped because of tendinitis, he might have broken it. As it is, he is likely to miss Sunday’s start, giving him perhaps as much as 1 1/2 weeks before his next outing to get ready, depending on how the rotation is ordered after the all-star break.
Hirsh’s fastball, not his fast feet, is what impressed the Mets. Their scouting reports indicated correctly that Hirsh relies on his changeup. But since he was challenged in Toronto more than a week ago, the right-hander has pitched with less finesse and more power.
His effort was an air freshener for a rotation that went 1-5 with an 8.17 ERA on the forgettable 1-9 road trip.
“He was throwing strikes with three pitches with good movement,” Mets third baseman David Wright said. “With an aggressive team, a lot of times we will swing at good pitchers’ pitches early in the count, so you have to tip your cap to him.”
Sitting on 297 victories, Tom Glavine couldn’t solve the Rockies in the third inning. He was surprised that Hirsh’s ball stayed fair, but no one was shocked that Matt Holliday crushed a 78 mph changeup into the seats for a three-run home run.
Afterward, Wright joined Boston’s David Ortiz in campaigning for Holliday to be included in Monday’s all-star home run derby.
“Absolutely he should be there,” Wright said. “I would pay money to see him.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renckcan be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
