Rockies avoiding bumps on road

[Rockiesfan_H]

Rockies avoiding bumps on road



By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News
April 12, 2006


PHOENIX - The final weeks of spring training were a drag for Rockies right fielder Brad Hawpe. When the struggle continued into the opening days of the regular season, manager Clint Hurdle decided to give Hawpe a work day.

He took him out of the lineup on Saturday. He wanted Hawpe to put in overtime hitting in the cage.
"He needs to get a feel back," Hurdle said at the time.


Mission accomplished.


Hawpe returned to the lineup the next day, and he's making his presence known.


Hawpe came up a single short of becoming the first Rockies player to hit for the cycle on the road on Tuesday, providing the offensive impetus for a 6-5 victory that spoiled Arizona's home opener at Chase Field.


Hawpe, who had gone 3-for-5 with a home run, triple and single in a sweep-clinching win at San Diego on Sunday, was 3-for-4 with a home run, triple and double against Arizona. He equaled his career best with four RBI, and helped the Rockies win four consecutive games on the same trip for only the seventh time in franchise history and just the second time since 2000.
"It wasn't (extra batting practice) as much as Hurdle and I looked at some video," Hawpe said. "There was nothing with my swing, but I had to lower my hands 4, 5 inches."


The Rockies have opened 4-0 on the road, a marked contrast to a year ago, when they didn't get their fourth road win until their 23rd game.
The Rockies, who have two games remaining in Arizona, are two wins shy of the longest winning streak on the same road trip in franchise history. In the inaugural season of 1993, the Rockies broke out of a franchise-record 13-game losing streak with a victory at San Diego on Aug. 8 and followed that up with a four-game sweep in Los Angeles and then a win in Houston.
"We're not messenger boys," Hurdle said. "We want to be delivery boys. We have to play and win games."


Aaron Cook got a bit of revenge against Arizona and Orlando Hernandez by earning the win on Tuesday, even if he did have a fifth-inning bump in the road during a six-inning effort.


"I made some pitches I shouldn't make, but I got out of some situations," Cook. said. "The key thing is winning. I'd rather have an ugly win than a well-pitched loss."


Cook, a 4-2 loser against the Diamondbacks a week ago tonight at Coors Field, got a lift with a bizarre first-inning double play that helped him keep Arizona scoreless for four innings.


With the bases loaded and one out in the first, Conor Jackson hit a sinking ball to left that Matt Holliday short hopped. While Jeff DaVanon broke from third, the other runners held up. The Rockies got the force outs at third and second for a double play, denying Arizona the run.

"That changed the momentum," Hawpe said. "It gave us a lift."
Actually, it was Todd Helton who changed the momentum. After Cory Sullivan led off the game with a single to cap a nine-pitch at-bat, Helton unloaded on a 1-2 pitch from Hernandez for his first home run.
"It got us going in the right direction," Hurdle said.


Then came Hawpe's home run leading off the second, and his two-run triple in the fifth for a 5-0 lead. In the bottom of that inning, however, Craig Counsell delivered a three-run triple with one out and scored a run on a ground out by DaVanon that cut the Rockies' lead to 5-4.


Hawpe, however, got another RBI in the seventh when his slow hopper off veteran left-hander Terry Mulholland to short scored Garrett Atkins from third. Atkins had singled with one out and advanced to third on Holliday's ensuing double.


The run proved crucial when Shawn Green led off the ninth with a home run off closer Brian Fuentes, who then claimed his first save of the season. Atkins had singled with one out and gone to third on Holliday's ensuing double.


A single in that at-bat and Hawpe would have been the fifth Rockies player to hit for the cycle. The four who have hit for the cycle have all done it at Coors Field - Dante Bichette was the first against Texas on June 10, 1998; Neifi Perez against St. Louis on July 25, 1998; Helton against Florida on June 19, 1999; and Mike Lansing against Arizona on June 18, 2000.


The RBI, though, was what mattered to Hawpe.
"That was as big as any (RBI)," Hawpe said. "The key was Garrett ran immediately to make things happen."

[Bear]

Brad Hawpe is just one of many who will lead the Rockies into contention in the NL West! Good Luck!

[Bear]

The Rockies just keep rolling along! Good job Rockies, and my hats off to the Rockie Fans who have supported them when they were down. This my not last long, but enjoy the ride while it lasts. Who knows how long it will last.

[redsrbetter]

Yep this team is night and day from last year on their abilities on the road. I am actually surprised they have played so well away from Coors.

I get to see them tomorrow night battle the Phillies. I will be at Coors Field cheering them on. Hopefully it will be a good game.

[Bear]

redsrbetter...Hope you see a good game and that the Rockies WIN!

[redsrbetter]

redsrbetter...Hope you see a good game and that the Rockies WIN!

Yeah, me too bro. I can't wait! It will be a blast. I need some of the Coors Field smooth beer in me.

[Rockiesfan_H]

Have a good time at the game man.

Hopefully they can regain a little of their homefield advantage again.