Before Ian Stewart stepped into the box, before Jason Giambi stepped to the plate, there was Don Baylor’s gut.
That’s where the feeling began Wednesday night that something was finally different about the Rockies’ offense. For two months, the lineup had been a colossal disappointment. Not of “Gigli” proportions, but a head-shaker nonetheless.
But in the eighth inning against the Red Sox, Baylor’s teeth-grinding was replaced by unbridled optimism.
“I turned to the guys in the dugout and I told them, ‘We are winning this game,’ ” the Rockies’ hitting instructor recalled. “It was the first time all year that I felt that way late in the game. Guys were so locked in, you knew something good was going to happen.”
In a blink in the ninth inning, Stewart homered, Clint Barmes singled and Giambi hit a walkoff moonshot against closer Jonathan Papelbon.
The question in the days since has been obvious: Will this be a watershed moment for the Rockies or just a drip in an empty bucket?
“Maybe this is finally it,” owner Dick Monfort said. “We believe the talent is there. Maybe now the bats will get going like we’ve seen in the past.”
In the previous seven games, the Rockies scored 22 runs. They scored 19 in the final two games against the Red Sox at Coors Field. In the series finale, a 13-11 loss, the Rockies delivered 18 hits — 17 of which were singles.
That effort was a microcosm of the season. There was unselfishness, yet stinging failure. Twice the Rockies loaded the bases with no outs and couldn’t produce a run.
Then the Rockies wandered into Angel Stadium on Friday and struck out 16 times. Yet when they needed a big at-bat, Jonathan Herrera, starting because of Troy Tulowitzki’s injury, drove home Chris Iannetta with the winning run on a full-count, two-out at-bat.
RISP looks more like RIP
Those situations previously sabotaged the Rockies. Their worst statistics have come in the clutch and late in the game. The numbers tell a story of a team that has consistently tried to do too much with runners in scoring position.
Through 70 games, they ranked last in the National League in runs scored after the seventh inning, 13th in batting average (.251) with runners in scoring position and 14th in batting average (.209) with runners in scoring position and two outs.
“Our swings have a tendency to get too long. But I think one big game like we had can absolutely change things,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “You can see the improvement. We have to find a way to build on this.”
Baylor admitted the slow start has reshaped expectations. This is the year of the pitcher — there have been four no-hitters before July for the first time since 1990 — and the Rockies are among several teams that have experienced a steep decline, among them the Phillies and Cubs.
Baylor, for instance, is not expecting his team to hit as many home runs. The Rockies clubbed 190 last season. They are on pace to finish with just 161 this year.
A big reason is the lack of pop at home from Stewart and Todd Helton, who have combined for just one souvenir in 226 at-bats at Coors Field.
“Can that one hit change things? Maybe. It’s been frustrating,” Stewart said. “We know we have been better than we’ve shown.”
The Rockies have had only three players perform consistently — Carlos Gonzalez, Miguel Olivo (“He’s an all-star for me,” Baylor said) and Tulowitzki — out until roughly Aug. 1 because a broken left wrist.
“We just haven’t had a bunch of guys going at the same time,” outfielder Ryan Spil-borghs said. “We are a lineup built around guys 1-through-8 putting together quality at-bats. Taking pitches, moving runners, doing the little things.”
Added Gonzalez, “It has been disappointing. But we have an opportunity to improve and change things. We know we can hit better than we’ve shown.”
Why?
Helton “seeing ball better”
Baylor and Tracy see specific factors to suggest that last week’s performance in Denver wasn’t a tease. For starters, the Rockies went 12-for-29 with runners in scoring position during the final two games against the Red Sox. Also, Helton is emerging from his hibernation, finding a comfort level in the second slot in the order.
“He’s hitting the ball out front, pulling it. He’s seeing the ball better and he’s more aggressive,” Baylor said. “It’s getting warmer and that’s the time of year guys get into a groove. As (former Angels manager) Gene Mauch also told me, ‘Hitters will hit.’ “
Giambi predicted during spring training the Rockies would win high-scoring games early in the season as their pitching staff gained its footing. The exact opposite has played out, with the pitchers doing the heavy lifting.
“It hasn’t gone like we expected. With Tulo out, you are seeing guys stepping up. Maybe that’s the jolt we needed,” Giambi said. “Toddy is getting hot and Ian’s starting to get it going. There are signs there.”
If nothing else, after not hitting much for 10 weeks, this past week struck a chord with the Rockies.
“Why can’t one game change everything?” pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez said. “It should inspire us, and remind us that anything is possible.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
