In a happy Rockies clubhouse, Ubaldo Jimenez was asked a simple question: Are you beginning to feel like the Ubaldo of old?
His wide smile provided the answer.
“For sure, I’m feeling really, really good,” he said Thursday night after the Rockies ripped up the Brewers 12-3. “I didn’t have my best stuff, and I got a little bit behind in counts, but I still got people out. I think that’s a good sign.”
Jimenez wasn’t nearly as dominant Thursday as he was in his last start before the all-star break. In that July 9 game in Washington, he dominated the Nationals, holding them to one run on five hits over eight innings.
But with his teammates slugging out a season-high 20 hits, he was plenty good enough Thursday. On a perfect summer evening at Coors Field, after dark storm clouds gave way to a technicolor sky, Jimenez allowed two runs on six hits over six innings, striking out four and walking two (one intentional). He improved to 5-8 and lowered his ERA to 4.08.
OK, so it’s not close to the superhuman ace who started off the 2010 season 11-1 with a ridiculous 0.98 ERA. And true, Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun ate up Jimenez’s 96 mph fastball for a double in the first inning. But there was progress in LoDo. Jimenez entered the game with a 1-5 record and haunting 6.24 ERA at Coors Field.
“Ubaldo settled in after the second inning,” manager Jim Tracy said. “His slider and split-finger tonight were really, really good pitches for him tonight. Exceptional pitches.”
If the Rockies are going to make a run in the National League West, Jimenez is going to have to lead the way. He says he’s ready.
“Earlier this year, when guys got on base, I’d start worrying, ‘Oh, is this guy going to score?’ ” Jimenez said. “But I’m feeling more confident now. I’m a lot more comfortable.”
Jimenez’s teammates put on an offensive display that Tracy described as “phenomenal.” The 20-hit display came against a Brewers team with a split personality. Milwaukee is a contender in the National League Central, but it fell to 16-30 away from home — the worst road record in the National League.
Colorado broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning and kept piling on. The fourth was fueled by RBI singles by Chris Iannetta, Ryan Spilborghs and Mark Ellis, as well as a run-scoring double by Troy Tulowitzki.
Spilborghs, filling in for the injured Carlos Gonzalez in center, made the most of his chance. He went 4-for-6 with four RBIs, his four hits tying a career high. Spilborghs led off the Rockies’ first with a solo home run high off the left-field foul pole off Milwaukee starter Yovani Gallardo. It was Spilborghs’ third homer of the season and his first in 115 at-bats.
Jimenez and Spilborghs weren’t the only ones taking steps forward tonight. Third baseman Ian Stewart, who entered the game with a .106 average, went 3-for-5 with two doubles, raising his average 35 points to .141.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
FRIDAY: Brewers at Rockies, 6:40 p.m., Root
If Rockies rookie Juan Nicasio (3-2, 4.91 ERA) wants to escape the tailspin in which he’s trapped, he has to become more than a one-pitch pitcher. Yes, he has a smoking fastball, but he has been hesitant to trust his slider and changeup. As a result, he has been rocked in three of his past four starts. Before the all-star break, he pitched two solid innings before the Braves locked in on his fastball, battering him with six consecutive hits. Milwaukee starts lefty Chris Narveson (6-5, 4.75), who has won four of his past five decisions and is 0-0 with a 5.14 ERA in four career games (two starts) against Colorado. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Saturday: Brewers’ Zack Greinke (7-3, 5.45 ERA) at Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (8-7, 3.16), 6:10 p.m., Root
Sunday: Brewers’ Shaun Marcum (7-3, 3.39) at Rockies’ Aaron Cook (0-4, 5.82), 1:10 p.m., Root
Monday: Braves’ Derek Lowe (5-7, 4.30) at Rockies’ Jason Hammel (5-8, 4.23), 6:40 p.m., Root
Tuesday: Braves’ Brandon Beachy (3-1, 3.21) at Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (5-8, 4.08), 6:40 p.m., Root
