SAN FRANCISCO — On a chilly Friday night at AT&T Park, the colors and chants gave off a nostalgic vibe.
Call it Clockwork Orange. Or Turn Back the Clock.
The Giants looked like they were staging a highway safety patrol convention, dressed in retina-burn orange jerseys. And the rowdy crowd was partying like it was 2001, screaming “Bar-ry! Bar-ry!” after big plays.
The cheers were for Barry Zito, an unthinkable occurrence the past two seasons. But these are the new Giants, and Zito is big reason this team believes it will reach the playoffs. They reinforced the notion with a 5-2 victory over the Rockies.
San Francisco is better than anyone thought because Zito hasn’t been this good since he won the Cy Young award in 2003. He worked eight masterful eight innings, allowing just two runs. The key is that he has just enough on his fastball again – he flirts with 87 and 88 miles per hour – to keep hitters’ honest and vulnerable for his knee-locking curve.
The Rockies have made a long history of losing in San Francisco. But this defeat – Colorado’s second straight – stung because like Wednesday, the game was so winnable. At least until Aubrey Huff’s two-run double in the Giants’ explosive fifth inning.
Looking to redline an offense that yet to reach its potential, manager Jim Tracy dropped Todd Helton from the third spot in the order to fifth in favor of Carlos Gonzalez.
“I feel like I started the season (strong), and I have to get back to that,” Helton said. “I understand the move.”
The switch paid immediate dividends in Tracy’s “Fast and The Curious” experiment. Eric Young Jr., Dexter Fowler and Gonzalez manufactured a first-inning run with their feet and bats. Young, who enjoyed a fantastic adventure in left field with two diving catches, led off with a single, stole second and scored on Gonzalez’s sharp hit to right.
But Aaron Cook’s demons resurfaced in the fourth inning. He has struggled to grip leads this season, and he caught a terrible break. With bases loaded and two outs, a rogue fan jumped onto the field near the Giants’ bullpen. It ultimately took four police officers and three field ushers to restrain him. After the long, unnecessary delay, Cook missed badly on a fastball to Juan Uribe, who smoked a two-run single.
The Rockies tied the game in the fifth, with Melvin Mora serving as a catalyst. In the bottom of inning, Cook needed a big pitch, and instead he made a huge mistake, grooving a fastball to the previously slumping Huff. The first baseman smashed a double to left field, scoring two runs and shoving the Giants ahead for good 5-2.
The lead felt a lot bigger watching Zito.
When Zito fanned pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs to end the seventh, the chants for him were deafening. For the Rockies, “Barry” ringing in their ears was an ugly blast from the past.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
