PITTSBURGH — In victory last Friday, Aaron Cook celebrated becoming a father. In victory Wednesday, Aaron Cook likely saved his closer.
The Rockies have long been straddling the fence between buying and selling. A Pirates sweep would increase the likelihood that Brian Fuentes would be dealt.
As of late Wednesday night, however, multiple sources from teams who have talked with the Rockies said they didn’t believe Fuentes was available and weren’t feeling that would change before Thursday’s 2 p.m. MDT deadline.
A much-needed win — arguably the most important to date given the circumstances — only strengthened the argument for keeping Fuentes. Cook rolled up his sleeves and grinded through seven innings before Fuentes hermetically sealed the 7-4 triumph at PNC Park for his franchise-record 103rd save.
All Cook does this year is win. He has eight road victories, same as the rest of the other starters combined.
This one was ugly, with accompanying grease and grime. But in a testament to his evolution into an ace, the right-hander was still successful. He didn’t have his best sinker, unable to command the heater down in the zone. As the game began to slip through his fingers, though, he wiggled out of a four-run fifth. His 14 victories are tied for the most in the National League and leave him two months to record four wins to break the Rockies’ franchise single-season mark.
The Rockies again jumped out to a big lead, this time inflating to a six-run cushion. Chris Iannetta clubbed a three-run home run off Zach Duke in the fifth to create the margin.
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 straight appearances. Even more impressive, he has struck out 19 of the past 32 batters he’s faced.
“I want to be here,” Fuentes said. “That’s what I have been saying all along. I think we can still win, and I want to be part of that.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
