Miami – There is no perforated edge to the Rockies’ season. No easy opening. This team rips bags apart with its teeth, scavenging for scraps.
On a day the they lost out in their pursuit of rotation and bullpen reinforcements, on a day they lost starter Rodrigo Lopez to a season-ending injury, the Rockies still won, trouncing the Florida Marlins 6-3 at Dolphin Stadium.
Tuesday’s game was everything the last week was not – save for the result. It featured all the electricity of a company picnic, played in front of an announced humidified crowd of 11,534, matching the number of reporters who were grilling Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez about Barry Bonds last weekend.
There was no milestone involved for the Rockies on a night when the Mets’ Tom Glavine went for his 300th win and Bonds chased Hank Aaron, just another stepping stone. The Rockies have the best record in the National League since May 22, going 36-24.
The Rockies’ trading deadline search centered on finding a No. 2 starter, with the focus on Matt Morris and Jon Garland. They may already have one in Aaron Cook. Under the weight of heavy expectations, he failed as the ace, trying to hard to be something he wasn’t after earning the opening-day start.
Since a candid chat with the coaching staff several weeks ago, Cook has unclenched his fist and punched opponents out with chilling efficiency. He’s 4-1 with a 2.54 ERA over his last seven starts. He continues to induce groundball outs, but a four-seam fastball has triggered his success. He’s using it as a secondary pitch, keeping hitters guessing.
Cook worked 7 2/3 innings, surrendering just two earned runs on 106 pitches. He needed just 74 pitches in his last win. Garrett Atkins set the tone offensively with a bases-loaded double off Scott Olsen in the third inning. Manny Corpas picked up his seventh consecutive save.
Staff Writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
