SAN DIEGO — The Slide took on a whole new meaning Tuesday night.
In the Rockies’ first meeting with the San Diego Padres since Matt Holliday dribbled his chin across home plate, Ubaldo Jimenez slipped and veered out of control in a 6-0 loss at Petco Park.
Jimenez threw 48 pitches in the fifth inning, retiring two hitters. While the 24-year-old couldn’t avoid a frightening loss of fastball command, the Rockies avoided the indignity of being no-hit.
That appeared a real possibility as Randy Wolf grew more menacing with each pitch. With the announced crowd of 24,439 buzzing, Wolf carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning. With two outs, Brad Hawpe lined a fastball into center field, spawning a collective groan from those hoping to witness the Padres’ first no-no.
“He was keeping the ball up and away and using a slow 66-mph curveball that we don’t see much,” Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins said. “It was a tough night.”
Wolf’s performance provided an in-your-face moment for a city irritated by Holliday’s bloody chin, the defining snapshot of the Rockies’ 9-8 victory over San Diego in the National League wild-card tiebreaker.
Before Tuesday’s series opener, Padres manager Bud Black downplayed the significance of the rematch. It’s apples to oranges, fish tacos to enchiladas.
“Seeing their players’ response when asked and ours, I would say there’s no carry-over,” Black explained. “But I said it that night, that it was one of the greatest games I have ever been involved in. If I had been watching just as a fan, I would have probably thought it was one of the greatest games ever played.”
What unfurled Tuesday won’t ever end up on ESPN Classic. Or as part of any pitching clinics. For all his brilliance, Jimenez remains inconsistent, and worse, erratic. After matching Wolf with four scoreless innings, the right-hander suddenly began leaving his fastball over the middle of the plate.
Jimenez’s throwing error on a bunt loaded the bases, and “ultimately burned us dramatically,” lamented Rockies manager Clint Hurdle.
A pull at that one loose thread and the entire sweater unraveled. In order, Brian Giles; Kevin Kouzmanoff, an Evergreen High School product; and Jim Edmonds smoked doubles, each scoring two runs. Giles reached the 1,000th-RBI plateau, 80 of which have come against the Rockies.
“I just started throwing harder. It was a mistake,” Jimenez said. “I know I can’t do that.”
The Rockies offered little resistance against Wolf. He climbed the ladder with his fastball, changed speeds and played to Colorado’s aggressiveness. Wolf threw 112 pitches and didn’t allow a hit until the 109th. Jimenez finished with 102 pitches and couldn’t escape the fifth.
A victory secure, the Padres’ fans spent the better part of the final two innings serenading Holliday with chants of “You (stink!)”
There was no slide, only a game that spiraled out of control.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
TODAY: Rockies at Padres, 8:05 p.m., FSN
Mark Redman (1-1, 5.06) returns home tonight, pitching just outside the city where he grew up. His mom will be in attendance. The issue is whether his body will cooperate. Redman’s bruised left foot has healed, but he’s dealing with plantar fasciitis in his heel. He needs to be able to push off since his lack of velocity demands almost perfect location. Padres shortstop Khalil Greene has homered twice off the left-hander in five at-bats. Justin Germano (0-0, 0.00) won the fifth starter’s job over Shawn Estes with a strong spring. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Thursday: Rockies’ Jeff Francis (0-2, 9.53) vs. Padres’ Jake Peavy (3-0, 1.64), 8:05 p.m., FSN
Friday: Rockies’ Franklin Morales (0-1, 6.30) vs. Astros’ Brandon Backe (1-1, 2.25), 6:05 p.m., FSN
Saturday: Rockies’ Aaron Cook (1-1, 3.79) vs. Astros’ Wandy Rodriguez (1-0, 2.33), 5:05 p.m., FSN
Sunday: Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2, 4.60) vs. Astros’ Shawn Chacon (0-0, 3.75), 12:05 p.m., KTVD-20
