Brad Penny is a 6-foot-4, 260-pound hoss. Josh Fogg is a sideburn-sporting, sly-grin wearing grinder.
Squinting wasn’t necessary to see the difference. But the Rockies, defined by resilience and never following common sense, relish mismatches. So they haven’t beaten Penny in two years? So what? So Brad Hawpe has spent the past week sick, losing weight and points off his average, mired in a terrible slump?
Who else would the Rockies rather want up in the clutch? Hawpe received the best medicine for the nasty virus: A game-winning moonball home run and a curtain call in Colorado’s nervy 6-5 victory.
It kept hope in the building, the Rockies pulling to within four games of the wild-card leading San Diego Padres. The Padres, winners of five straight, played a late game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Hawpe seemed an unlikely slayer of demons when he left the clubhouse Tuesday night. He was coughing and still appeared a little weak from an illness contracted last week in Philadelphia that only grew more severe over the weekend.
“No excuses, though,” said Hawpe.
When Hawpe makes contact – something he has struggled to do of late – he’s dangerous. A platoon player because of early problems with left-handers, Hawpe owns 98 RBIs. With the crowd buzzing in the eighth inning, he laid into a Jonathan Broxton slider. Broxton has melted before the Dodgers’ eyes. After not allowing a home run in 13 months, a streak ending this past August, he has been torched for five home runs this month.
Hawpe skied the ball into the air, appearing to tickle the stadium lights before landing in the right-field seats. It was Hawpe’s 26th home run, but none has been bigger than this one. The crowd agreed, providing Hawpe a curtain call – the third in as many games for a Rockies’ player.
Matt Holliday kept the Rockies close with two home runs on the first two pitches he saw. He has 10 home runs in his past 11 games, owning a career-high 35.
Staff Writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
