ATLANTA — Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
That’s what Aaron Cook had working in the bullpen as he warmed up Thursday. Hardly the admission you want to hear from a starting pitcher on a team whose season and manager’s future are beginning to hinge on the upcoming games.
“He didn’t throw a single strike,” admitted catcher Chris Iannetta. “That’s why you can never make a correlation between a bullpen and the game.”
They stood in stark contrast like, say, graffiti and Da Vinci. The Rockies desperate for a victory, Cook delivered a classic, registering a complete-game 9-0 shutout of the Atlanta Braves.
It wasn’t so much a win as a nine-inning victory lap, the outcome sealed when Todd Helton belted a fourth-inning grand slam. Of the 27 outs, 20 came on groundballs, including 10 to second baseman Clint Barmes. Cook retired the last 16 batters he faced. If the Braves had a sense of humor, they would send him a bill for the broken bats.
Attempting to hit his sinker, which manager Clint Hurdle said was the finest of Cook’s career, was like trying to hit a bowling ball falling off a picnic table.
“He was baiting us into swinging early in the count,” Braves catcher Brian McCann said. “He had late movement on that sinker. When he’s like that, he’s as good as any pitcher in the game.”
This was vintage Cook, circa 2008. Last year felt like a long time ago when the right-hander stumbled through April with a faulty stride in his delivery. But his back healthy, Cook looked every bit the all-star he was last season.
It was the perfect antidote to three blowout losses the team suffered in the previous four games, performances that had heightened the scrutiny on Hurdle.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself. And the way this series has gone, we needed this,” Cook said. “When guys are putting up runs like that, it’s up to the pitcher to just slam the door.”
Offensively, Helton provided his latest blast from the past. No longer is it necessary to frame his season around offseason back surgery. He’s having a good season regardless of his medical file. His 27 RBIs are only two fewer than he had last year. Four came on a flyball that landed on top of the right-field fence, before bouncing into the seats.
It was the fifth grand slam of Helton’s career, a vintage at-bat that saw him work from an 0-2 count to full before punishing a fastball mistake.
“The guys we are playing against don’t give a rat’s (expletive) that I had surgery,” Helton said. “We need to win games. This was big, no doubt about it.”
The challenge for the Rockies is to build off their most convincing victory. Consistency has been elusive. To a man, the players insist they are better than they have played.
“The talent is there. Obviously, we are not where we would like to be,” third baseman Garrett Atkins said. “But we all believe we are going to turn it around.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Rockies Recap
Homerless streak snapped with Helton’s grand slam
The power outage is over. The Rockies’ season-high, four-game streak without a home run ended in grand fashion Thursday. Todd Helton belted his fifth grand slam and the team’s fourth this season, joining Chris Iannetta (two) and Ian Stewart.
Medlen meltdown.
With his parents and girlfriend in attendance, Braves rookie Kris Medlen struggled in his debut, issuing five walks, firing two wild pitches and balking once.
Dex knows.
On Helton’s sixth-inning RBI double, Dexter Fowler was duped into sliding at second by shortstop Yunel Escobar. He jumped up and still scored easily without a throw at home.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Looking Ahead
This is TiVo worthy. Load up the batteries in the radar guns. And forget bringing a blanket. Ubaldo Jimenez (3-4, 4.30 ERA) and the Tigers’ 20-year-old phenom, Rick Porcello (4-2, 3.86), bring the heat. Jimenez hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of last three starts. And Tigers manager Jim Leyland practically fainted when asked if he was taking Porcello out of the rotation, saying he’s “(bleeping) Nolan Ryan right now.” The right-hander has won his last three starts. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming Pitching Matchups
Saturday:
Rockies’ Jason Marquis (5-3, 4.75) vs. Tigers’ Armando Galarraga (3-3, 5.62), 5:05 p.m., FSN
Sunday:
Rockies’ Jason Hammel (0-3, 4.60) vs. Tigers’ Dontrelle Willis (1-0, 3.27), 11:05 a.m., FSN
Monday:
Dodgers’ Eric Stults (4-1, 3.82) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (0-4, 4.27), 1:10 p.m., FSN
Tuesday:
Dodgers’ Eric Milton (0-0, 4.50) vs. Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (3-4, 4.30), 6:40 p.m., FSN
