The Rockies refuse to look back at the ineptitude that has haunted them, the injuries that have hamstrung them, the helpless at-bats with runners on base or even the parade of fifth starters who have been alarming in their inconsistency.
Nobody thinks the Rockies will make the playoffs anymore, but on a cool Wednesday night, Brad Hawpe had the right swing at the right time to interrupt the eulogy, trumping the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 at Coors Field.
Hawpe lost Jon Rauch’s 92-mph fastball over the center-field fence, the two-run shot soothing wounds of a disappointing homestand.
The win moved the Rockies to eight games back of the division-leading Diamondbacks with the series finale today.
This is what the fans expected when the Rockies arrived back in town after an encouraging 6-4 road trip: a team willing to get grimy and compete.
What played out Wednesday night was promising, even if terribly late. Jeff Francis, in arguably his best outing of the season given the opponent, worked six strong innings and gave up three runs. Francis abandoned his sinker and relied more on his four-seam fastball.
Yet, when Manuel Corpas couldn’t clean up a seventh-inning mess, the Rockies entered the eighth in a 4-all tie. Half of those runs were courtesy of solo shots from Ian Stewart and Clint Barmes, who hit leadoff for only the second time all season in an attempt to spark the lineup.
Because the Rockies never make anything easy, closer Brian Fuentes provided accompanying drama in the ninth.
Two hits and a walk drew the Diamondbacks to within a run. Then Fuentes struck out Chris Young and induced a harmless groundball from Adam Dunn.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
