It took a dynamite pitching performance from starter Aaron Cook and a costly error by Cubs shortstop Ryan Theriot and a perfect ninth inning by new closer Brian Fuentes, but the Rockies finally found a way to win a ballgame this afternoon at Coors Field.
The 4-2 victory ended the Rockies’ four-game losing streak and put a halt to the Cubs’ six-game winning streak.
When Fuentes set the Cubs down in order in the ninth without a hint of drama, Rockies fans let out a gigantic sigh of relief. For the Rockies, who had blown four straight games when leading after the eighth inning, it was a big deal indeed. For Fuentes, who replaced the struggling Manuel Corpas, it was the first save of the season.
For such a well-pitched, well-played game, it was ironic that Theriot’s bad glove would open the way for Colorado’s victory.
With the game tied at 2-2, Matt Holliday led off the Rockies’ eighth with a hustling double. He moved the third on Garrett Atkins” groundout. The Cubs intentionally walked Brad Hawpe to set up a possible double play.
They got just what they wanted when Troy Tulowitzki hit a routine grounder to Ronny Cedeno at second. He tossed the ball to Theriot, but Theriot muffed the throw, allowing Holliday to score the game-winning run. Ryan Spliborgh’s two-out pinch-hit single scored Hawpe to provided the final two-run cushion.
Cubs starter Jason Marquis was terrific, scattering eight hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking two.
But Cook was even better. Cook pitched eight innings, allowing two runs on just four hits. He struck out five and walked three. He retired 16 straight batters until Geovany Soto led off the eighth with a single to left. Felix Pie followed with another single and Cook walked pinch hitter Daryle Ward to load the base with nobody out.
Manager Clint Hurdle stuck with Cook, who wriggled out of major trouble. He did give up the game-tying run when Mike Fontenot’s grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Cedeno (pinch running for Soto) from third. But Theriot lined out to Todd Helton at first, who stepped on the bag, doubling-up Fontenot for the inning-ending double play.
Leading off the Rockies’ seventh, Chris Iannetta took the first pitch he saw from Marquis and planted it in the left-field bleachers, providing Colorado a 2-1 lead. It was Iannetta’s first homer of the season.
Runs were hard to come by on a breezy afternoon at Coors. The Rockies struck first, scoring a run in their first at-bat when Scott Podsednik led off with a single, stole second and scored on Todd Helton’s single.
Chicago tied the game 1-1 in the second, milking two walks off Cook, setting up Pie’s RBI-single.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
