It was the type of moment that defines games and, over time, frames a season. It came in the fifth inning Tuesday: Aaron Cook vs. Andre Ethier.
Ethier won. The Rockies did not, falling 7-1 to the Dodgers at Coors Field and reviving speculation that manager Clint Hurdle could be making his last stand on this homestand.
Statistics tugged in both directions when Ethier stepped into the box with two outs. He was knee-deep in a 2-for-19 slump, including two hitless at-bats Tuesday. But he was 9-for-21 with eight RBIs lifetime against Cook.
The Rockies ace, perhaps a bit unnerved after getting squeezed by inconsistent umpire Andy Fletcher in the previous at-bat against Orlando Hudson, went haywire. He walked Ethier on four pitches to load the bases.
Casey Blake, the glue in the Dodgers’ lineup since Manny Ramirez’s suspension, promptly followed with a bases-clearing double.
It proved devastating given the “Paradise Lost” by Rockies hitters against Eric Milton. Making his second start since May 8, 2007, he allowed just one run in five innings before turning the game over to the Dodgers’ impressive bullpen.
