His locker sat vacant Friday, a chilling reminder of the challenge facing the Rockies.
Troy Tulowitzki will be sidelined roughly six weeks with a broken hamate bone on his left wrist. It wasn’t enough to lose Jeff Francis, Jorge De La Rosa and Huston Street. Now this?
“Nobody said it was going to be easy,” general manager Dan O’Dowd said. “We have to find a way to hang in there.”
The Rockies demonstrated resolve in Friday’s 2-0 victory against the Brewers, while providing a peek into their blueprint for survival.
Someday they might hit again. Maybe even during this homestand. Or before the all-star break. But with Tulowitzki out, this is a team that is poised to win with pitching and defense.
The formula of late: Ubaldo, Hammel, and as Street said in an afternoon tweet, “Pray for Tulo.” Everybody knows of Ubaldo Jimenez’s stalking of history. He’s a legitimate National League MVP candidate. Hammel is simply a player of the week candidate again.
The right-hander ran his scoreless streak to 25 1/3 innings as he creeps toward the franchise record of 33 straight bagel innings established by Jimenez 13 days ago.
Hammel exited to a standing ovation from the paid crowd of 32,340, one entertained by crisp glove work and the temper tantrum of Brewers manager Ken Macha, who was ejected in the fourth inning after a call was reversed against the Brewers.
Hammel has executed a remarkable U-turn. He landed on the disabled list with a groin injury after posting a 9.16 ERA in his first four starts. Since returning, he has gone 5-1 with a 2.05 ERA.
Milwaukee helped the right-hander out with some reckless hacks. But many of their misguided swings were the result of Hammel’s stuff. Scouts said afterward that he had better sink, cut and late ride on his pitches than they had remembered seeing last season.
The Rockies’ offense came early, which amounted to an exhale following the devastating loss of Tulowitzki. Brad Hawpe, hitting cleanup, doubled home Ryan Spilborghs in the first inning. Spilborghs filled Tulowitzki’s third spot in the lineup. After singling in the second, Ian Stewart scored the club’s second run.
A typically stingy bullpen finished off Hammel’s gem. Rafael Betancourt worked out of a jam in the eighth — producing a strike out with runners on second and third — and Manuel Corpas posted his ninth save.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
