PITTSBURGH — The congruity was striking.
Brian Fuentes saved the game, and he did it on a night when his team likely saved him.
The Rockies have long been straddling the fence between buying and selling. A Pirates sweep would have increased the likelihood Fuentes would be dealt. Instead, the Rockies won their most important game to date, a grimy 7-4 victory Wednesday night over the Pittsburgh Pirates.
It began with mystery — will Fuentes go? — and ended in history, with the left-hander posting his franchise-record 103rd save.
“We were joking before we went out there that it was a make-or-break game for (Fuentes). If we lose, he’s gone,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “There’s not one guy in here who wants him traded. For us to stay in contention and make a run at this thing, we need him.”
While the situation remains fluid, multiple sources from teams who have talked with the Rockies, including the long-favored Cardinals, said late Wednesday they didn’t believe Fuentes was available. What’s more, they don’t think anyone was prepared to meet Colorado’s asking price of a top young major league-ready starter before today’s 2 p.m. MDT trade deadline.
“If they can get an ace for me, I would trade myself. I understand that it’s a business and they have to do what’s best for the organization,” said Fuentes, who kept the ball from the final out as a memento. “But I want to be here because I believe we can win.”
After two potentially demoralizing losses in which they squandered three-run leads, the Rockies strengthened the argument for keeping their closer and adding a fifth starter.
There’s no one they might acquire that will have Aaron Cook’s impact. All he has done this season is win — usually with great stuff. His sinker at times has been the equivalent of hitting a bowling ball. And he has sometimes won with just enough. The latter was the case Wednesday as he failed to command his fastball down in the zone.
In a testament to manager Clint Hurdle’s confidence in the ace, he sent Cook back out in the seventh with more than 100 pitches. Cook responded, securing his eighth road win. The rest of the staff has eight road victories combined.
“That’s going to change,” said Cook, whose 14 wins leave him on pace to shatter the franchise’s single-season mark of 17. “This was a big game. We’d hate to come here (today) and not see (Fuentes) in the clubhouse.”
The Rockies provided Cook a margin for error, inflating to a six-run cushion. Chris Iannetta delivered the most critical swing, depositing a Zach Duke fastball over the center-field fence for a three-run homer. He credited Matt Holliday for the blast.
“After my first at-bat, I talked with him and he said I was pulling off the ball a little early, to just concentrate on hitting it up the middle,” Iannetta said. “I put a good swing on it.”
After Taylor Buchholz worked a spotless eighth, Fuentes showed why so many teams want him and why teammates will be furious if the Rockies trade him. He extended his scoreless streak to 10 appearances.
“It’s been a running joke that I might get traded,” Fuentes said. “Hopefully this win made it a lot harder.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
