ANAHEIM, CALIF. — The Angels landed a roundhouse punch to the Rockies’ jaw shortly after the opening bell Saturday night.
Although the Rockies scrambled up off the canvas, and even threw a few punches of their own, it wasn’t enough to escape a 4-2 defeat at Angel Stadium.
Early mistakes spoiled what could have been a banner night for starter Aaron Cook, who pitched eight innings, seven of them scoreless, but fell to 2-5 and is now 0-5 on the road.
Two of baseball’s deadly sins — an error and Cook’s lack of pitch command to a single batter — cost the Rockies dearly in the first inning.
Third baseman Ian Stewart scooped up Bobby Abreu’s chopper and threw to Jonathan Herrera at second, hoping to start a double play. But Stewart’s high shovel pass ended up in right field, and he was charged with an error.
Next, Torii Hunter loaded the bases with a weak base hit into shallow right.
Instead of buckling down, Cook fell behind 3-0 to Hideki Matsui. The veteran Matsui took full advantage, getting a green light on the next pitch and sending it into orbit beyond the center-field wall. The sixth grand slam of Matsui’s career put the Rockies in a quick 4-0 hole.
After serving up the slam, Cook began mowing Angels down with his heavy sinker. He coolly retired the next 17 batters before issuing a leadoff walk to Matsui in the seventh. Cook gave up just four hits and induced 17 groundball outs.
His counterpart, Anaheim lefty Joe Saunders, was even more effective. The Rockies touched him for just two runs on four hits. He quietly struck out eight and was never in serious trouble. All told, the Rockies whiffed nine times, that coming after they struck out 16 times in their 11-inning victory Friday night.
The Rockies climbed out of their early hole and back into the game in the third and fourth innings. Clint Barmes led off the third with his fifth homer of the season, clubbing Saunders’ slider just inside the left-field foul poll. It was Barmes’ first homer since May 28.
In the fourth, Mora doubled and scored on Olivo’s single, slicing the Angels’ lead to 4-2. But that was the end of Colorado’s offense
Angels closer Brian Fuentes, the former Rockies all-star, closed out the game in the ninth for his 13th save. He got an assist from second baseman Howard Kendrick. After Fuentes walked Melvin Mora with one out, Miguel Olivo hit a bullet that looked as if it were headed to the right-center field gap. But Kendrick made a leaping catch and doubled up Mora at first for a game-ending double play.
The Rockies and Angels will settle their three-game series Sunday. On Monday, the Rockies begin a three-game series in San Diego against the streaking Padres. The National League West-leading Padres won again Saturday, beating Florida 2-1. The Rockies trail the Padres by five games, matching their biggest deficit in the standings this season.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
