This is the kind of night that kills skepticism. The kind of night that gives a real impression.
Wednesday, the Rockies rolled up their sleeves and methodically slugged the Pirates into submission in an 8-0 win at Coors Field.
By the first inning, the Rockies had cleansed Tuesday’s embarrassing performance in a 7-3 loss and re-established themselves as the wild-card favorites. They own a one-game lead on the Giants.
All it took to stay in front was a first-inning sprinkling of Ubaldo Jimenez’s 98-mph fastball and Carlos Gonzalez’s home run to left field.
“We came out with a different attitude,” Gonzalez said. “We were quiet (Monday), maybe because the Pirates aren’t in the playoff race. We weren’t going to let that happen again.”
Gonzalez guaranteed it in his first at-bat. With a full count, he showed how much he has matured as a hitter over the past month. Pirates starter Kevin Hart stepped off to hold the runner. In doing so, it allowed Gonzalez to see that catcher Ryan Doumit was set up on the outer half of the plate. CarGo prepared for that location and barreled a four-seam fastball just inside the left-field foul pole.
The Rockies led 2-0. The gap felt larger as Jimenez toyed with a young Pirates lineup that has been shut out a major league-high 14 times this season.
“It was personal,” said Jimenez, who has worked at least six innings in 20 consecutive starts, his outing nothing short of an oxygen mask for the bullpen.
Jimenez’s victory was his fourth straight and gave Colorado four 10-game winners for only the second time in club history. The last time it occurred was 2000, but this is the first time all those in double digits are starters: Jason Marquis, Aaron Cook, Jorge De La Rosa and Jimenez.
“And I think there are a lot more to come,” manager Jim Tracy said.
Jimenez threw 119 pitches in eight innings — the 22nd time he eclipsed the century mark this year — while holding a team scoreless for the first time since the season opener. None of his pitches was bigger than a sinking fastball in the fifth inning. He walked Hart on five pitches to load the bases. Earlier in this season, this is when Jimenez would make a critical mistake.
Instead, he jammed Andrew McCutchen on the first pitch.
“I got my pitch,” insisted McCutchen. “But with that guy throwing 97 to 99 (miles per hour) with sink, it’s hard to square it up.”
This was a statement game after Tuesday’s mess. The Rockies appeared to have a Cubs hangover after a high-energy weekend, with a subsequent series against one of baseball’s worst teams.
“These guys hate to lose,” Tracy said. “They know what’s at stake.”
The postseason is hanging in the balance. To advance, these are the kind of games they have to win. That has become rather predictable since June 4 as they have gone a baseball-best 43-19.
“Every one matters at this point,” said second baseman Clint Barmes, who snapped out of a slump with three hits, one shy of his total in his previous 58 at-bats. “We were flat (Monday), and that’s not us. That surprised a lot of people. We responded.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
