San Diego – Barely noticed, Ubaldo Jimenez walked into the clubhouse Wednesday sipping a blue sports drink and jamming to music.
Across the room, Ian Stewart sat at his locker with his I-Pod, singing a favorite tune. Four hours later, The Who’s “The Kids Are All Right” provided a soundtrack to one the Rockies’ most satisfying victories of the season.
The Rockies muzzled the San Diego Padres 3-0, pulling to within two games of the wild-card lead on the same day that they lost their opening day starter and center fielder to injuries.
Aaron Cook will be replaced Thursday by Elmer Dessens when he goes on the disabled list today. Willy Taveras is already there. But their absence was easier to digest after Jimenez and Stewart disposed of the Padres.
After getting tagged for 15 runs in his past two starts, Hurdle stuck with Jimenez because of his immense talent, and truthfully, the unappealing alternatives. The 23-year-old right-hander responded with one of the best games ever by a Rockie rookie.
Facing the Padres for the second time, Jimenez worked six shutout innings, yielded one hit and recorded nine strikeouts, tied for second most by a franchise rookie with Jason Jennings (2002) and trailing Shawn Chacon (13 in 2001).
“I think it will help me seeing them again,” Jimenez predicted before the game. “I know the hitters better and what they are trying to do against me.”
Jimenez’s rebounding like Marcus Camby couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. The bullpen worked 10 1/3 innings over the past two games, which is why reliever Ramon Ramirez was summoned from Colorado Springs and partly explains Ortiz’s acquisition in exchange for Triple-A infielder Matt Macri.
Elmer Dessens starts in Cook’s place tonight with a well-rested relief corps. At one point Jimenez and reliever LaTroy Hawkins combined to retire 18 straight Padres.
The Rockies’ mounted no resistance against Padres’ starter Chris Young, blanked for six innings. However, Young was making only his second start since returning from a left oblique injury, limiting him to 95 pitches.
Cla Meredith entered in the seventh and created a mess.
Still, he appeared poised to extract himself from danger when he jumped ahead of the pinch-hitting Stewart with two quick strikes. Stewart, who had had to satisfy 15 ticket requests a day for this series, didn’t flinch. He slammed the fastball just beyond diving second baseman Geoff Blum, scoring two runs. Stewart has two career hits, both pinch hits this week.
Staff Writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
