Return of winning streak for Rockies

Jimenez recovers, Colorado wins its second in a row

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Jack Dempsey / Associated Press

Rockies outfielder Matt Holliday hits an RBI single against the Braves during the fifth inning Tuesday night at Coors Field. Holliday, who hit a two-run home run during Colorado's victory Monday, went 3-for-4 and had two RBI in Tuesday's 4-3 win.

The first three Atlanta hitters to face Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez on Tuesday reached base, the Braves took an early lead and Rockies manager Clint Hurdle made an unusual visit to the mound.

Hurdle didn't have much to say.

He didn't need to say much.

Hurdle's presence said plenty.

"When I see him coming out, I think, 'Uh, oh,' " Jimenez said. "When your manager comes out, you are in trouble. I didn't think (Hurdle was going to change pitchers), but I'm thinking he is mad."

It wasn't anything that a handful of strong innings couldn't take care of, and Jimenez provided just that, allowing the Rockies a chance to grab a 4-3 victory against the Braves at Coors Field, their second victory in a row against Atlanta.

The fact the Rockies' runs total was a season-high is testimony to what a funk the offense has been in, but against Braves rookie Jair Jurrjens, the Rockies came up with some timely hitting.

Matt Holliday, whose two-run home run provided the win that broke a five-game losing streak Monday, delivered run-scoring singles in the first and fifth innings, and Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe had back-to-back doubles in a two-run fourth.

"We also had an opportunity to pop things open in the fifth but weren't able to cash in," Hurdle said.

After Holliday's one-out single scored Willy Taveras and left two Rockies on base with one out, Jurrjens was able to strike out Atkins looking and Hawpe swinging. The Rockies also failed to bring home Hawpe after his one-out RBI double in the fourth and Holliday after his leadoff double in the eighth.

But the Rockies did have enough to claim their third victory of the season, all by one run, and to start feeling like they have put the 1-5 start in their rearview mirror.

Jimenez worked six innings, allowing three earned runs, for the Rockies' third consecutive quality start, and Manny Corpas backed up his save of Monday's 2-1 victory with a dominant ninth to earn the save Tuesday.

But nothing provided a bigger lift for the Rockies than the turnaround by Jimenez, who stumbled through his season debut in St. Louis, when in four of the five innings he pitched he retired the first two batters but then needed 42 pitches to get the third out in those innings.

Hurdle wanted to avoid a similar scenario against the Braves. So when Kelly Johnson led off the game with a single, Yunel Escobar walked and Chipper Jones singled home Johnson, Hurdle decided he'd make the trip to the mound.

Usually, pitching coach Bob Apodaca is the one who visits pitchers the first time, with Hurdle making the walk only for a pitching change.

"When (Hurdle) comes out, it has meaning," catcher Yorvit Torrealba said. "He just told him, 'You need to pitch with confidence.' I told him to remember that. In the first inning, he had good stuff and he had to have confidence in it. Ubaldo was good about it.

"He didn't panic. He said, 'Now I'll go ahead and do the job.' "

Jimenez did for five innings. Beginning with getting Jeff Francoeur to ground out to end the first, Jimenez retired 14 out of 17 batters he faced, which was tarnished a bit by the fact he did walk Jurrjens twice.

"That was ridiculous," Jimenez said.

Jimenez gave up a two-run home run to Mark Kotsay with two out in the sixth, but by then, the Rockies already had scored their four runs, allowing Jimenez to depart with a 4-3 lead the bullpen preserved. Taylor Buchholz, Brian Fuentes and Corpas worked a hitless inning each.

"The only thing I know about pitching is I had trouble hitting it," Hurdle said. "But I do know about rhythm and tempo, and I asked Torrealba to make sure that Ubaldo understood what momentum is because he wasn't getting any."

After Jones' run-scoring single, Jimenez did benefit from a well-placed line drive by Mark Teixeira - directly at Jayson Nix, who doubled Escobar off second - and walked Brian McCann, but then came the groundball from Francoeur.

Now the Rockies appear to be getting some momentum.

Swept by Arizona in the first home series of the season last weekend, leaving them with a 1-5 start to their defense of the National League pennant, the Rockies have back-to-back one-run wins against Atlanta with two more games remaining with the Braves in this series - weather permitting.

THREE KEYS

Three keys to the Rockies' 4-3 win against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night at Coors Field:

1. After Atlanta took a 1-0 lead when it started the game with a single by Kelly Johnson, walk to Yunel Escobar and single by Chipper Jones, Ubaldo Jimenez got Mark Teixeira to line into a double play and after Brian McCann walked, Jeff Francoeur grounded out, the first of 11 consecutive outs record by Jimenez.

2. Atlanta's outfield undid rookie right-hander Jari Jurrjens in the fourth. With the score 1-1, Garrett Atkins was given an RBI double on a base hit to right field that eluded Francoeur, and he scored on Brad Hawpe's ensuing double, just out of the reach of left fielder Matt Diaz, for a 3-1 Rockies lead.

3. Manny Corpas closed out the Braves with ease, getting called strikeouts of Diaz and Gregor Blanco and getting a ground out from Johnson.

ETC.

Todd Helton doubled, singled and was intentionally walked. He has reached base in all eight games. . . . Matt Holliday singled twice and doubled and has a hit in the past nine games he has played against Atlanta. . . . Right-handed pitcher Tim Hudson, who has been battling the flu, is expected to make his Thursday start for the Braves. . . . Atlanta is 37-62 in games decided by one run since the start of the 2006 season, the worst mark in the majors, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The Braves' five losses this year have come by one run, and the first four came in the final at-bat of the winning team. . . . Atlanta center fielder Mark Kotsay's two-run home run in the sixth off Jimenez was his first since he connected for Oakland off Houston's Brad Lidge on June 12. . . . Catcher Yorvit Torrealba is in a funk, having gone 1-for-14 on the homestand. . . . Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, on the efforts of starting pitchers Tom Glavine and Aaron Cook on Monday: "In the fourth inning, I said on the bench, we need to get a video of that game and send it down to the minor leagues so they can understand the art of pitching."

NUMBERS GAME

31 home runs for Matt Holliday on the first pitch of an at-bat, including the winner in the Rockies' 2-1 victory against Atlanta on Monday night.

Holliday is a career .405 hitter on the first pitch of an at-bat, eighth among active players. Ryan Howard leads active players at .436. Brad Hawpe is fourth at .421, Willy Taveras fifth at .420 and Todd Helton 11th at .403.

TEMPTED

Atlanta manager Bobby Cox was tempted by an offer to be on Clint Hurdle's coaching staff for the All-Star Game, which will be the final one played at the old Yankee Stadium. Cox played his two major league seasons with the Yankees, managed in their minor-league system and coached at the big-league level.

But Cox declined the invitation. Cox, who turns 67 on May 21, has managed five National League All-Star teams, and the Braves conclude the pre-All-Star portion of the schedule with a West Coast trip, adding to travel demands in getting to New York.

"It was really intriguing because of Yankee Stadium and because of Clint, but I need the three days at home," Cox said. "It's a good time for a break."

ACHES, PAINS

Right-handed pitcher Luis Vizcaino, placed on the disabled list with shoulder tightness, is not even playing catch. Vizcaino was bothered in spring training by elbow stiffness.

"We aren't sure if the elbow contributed to the shoulder or is the shoulder another issue?" Hurdle said.

Right-hander Jason Hirsh, on the disabled list with a strained right rotator cuff, has begun throwing in the Rockies' extended spring training program in Tucson, but he's more than a month away from being activated.