That resounding thud you heard Friday night was the Rockies opening one of the most crucial homestands in their 17-year history.
There was a pregame buzz in the air at Coors Field, the likes of which have been few and far between since the ballpark’s opening in 1995.
But the buzz turned to boos by the sixth inning, as the Rockies stumbled their way to a 6-3 loss to the San Francisco Giants.
With the defeat, the Rockies’ lead over the Giants in the National League wild-card race dropped to one game. Not that the bad news ended there. Aaron Cook, knocked around the yard in his previous outing at Florida, was tagged for three runs in the first inning before leaving in the fourth with a sore right shoulder.
Then there’s Troy Tulowitzki, the heart and soul of the Rockies’ lineup since catching fire in early June. He never made it to the ballpark, after experiencing flu-like symptoms. Tulo’s health trouble proved to be an omen as the Rockies’ four-game winning streak went the way of General Motors stock.
Before the game, Rockies manager Jim Tracy was talking the optimistic talk, what with the Rockies leading the wild-card chase and embarking on a stretch of 17 home games in 20 dates.
“When you’ve defeated some of the odds we’ve defeated, you embrace the fact that you’re back in your own ballpark,” Tracy said. “You have 17 of your next 20 here. We embrace this opportunity. … Our sights are not set on hoping that we get to be the wild-card entry in the National League. That’s not what we’re about here. Just because of the way we’ve played and the circumstances that have unfolded, we have our sights set on trying to win the Western Division.”
And with that, the Rockies promptly went out and fell behind 3-0 in the first. Cook allowed a walk and three hits in the inning, then left after walking Nate Schierholtz to open the fourth. Two hitters later, Josh Fogg served up a three-run home run to Aaron Rowand to put the Rockies behind 6-1.
There was no official word on Cook, but you have to wonder if he’s headed for the disabled list. He had been battling a sore right big toe since an Aug. 6 start at Philadelphia, then was tagged for seven runs in 2 1/3 innings in his next start at Florida. And now, after his velocity dipped to 86 miles an hour from 91 early in the game, he’s experiencing shoulder problems.
This wasn’t the way the Rockies had hopd to open a crucial seven-game homestand against the Giants and Dodgers, their archrivals in the N.L. West. They remain atop the wild-card food chain, but if they’re going to win the West, they have to play better within the division.
The Rockies’ record dropped to 68-54. Now for the numbers behind the numbers: They’re 20-25 against the West, 48-29 outside the division.
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com.
