Rockies reliever LaTroy Hawkins reacted to the attention with a bemused smile. "Y'all are making too much of this," he said. Those who cheered and those who groaned among the sellout crowd of 48,077 at Coors Field on Tuesday night would disagree. But Hawkins' forcing Jorge Posada into a fielder's choice to end the eighth inning with the bases loaded -- the key pitch in a 3-1 victory -- is about as big as it gets for the Rockies right now.
Hawkins has pitched in bigger games, including a couple of postseason games with the Twins. The Rockies signed him for $3.5 million this past winter to help make games bigger, but Hawkins knows better than to treat June like October.
"If I was ever excited, you guys would never know it," Hawkins said with a smile. "Believe that."
Hawkins wasn't going to jump for joy for doing his job -- replacing Manny Corpas, who had yielded two hits and walk. But Hawkins did admit to appreciating having the health and command to succeed when called upon.
Hawkins was inconsistent in his first nine appearances, going 0-3 with an 8.59 ERA before being placed on the disabled list with a forearm strain near his right elbow. But since his return, Hawkins has held opponents to one run in 10 appearances, with seven strikeouts against six hits and no walks.
Corpas has been the primary setup man for closer Brian Fuentes, who earned his 19th save on Tuesday, but Hawkins has regained his command and dependability.
"It feels good, because that's where I wanted to be at the beginning of the season," Hawkins said. "I think that month [on the DL] helped a lot."
Manager Clint Hurdle had Hawkins and left-hander Jeremy Affeldt warming up during the Yankees' eighth-inning rally. But the switch-hitting Posada, who is batting .344 after a 1-for-4 performance on Tuesday, has a .365 average against lefty pitchers.
Then again, Posada bats .336 against righties and was 5-for-16 in the regular season against Hawkins.
"I think Hawk's command is a little tighter, not that Jeremy is wild by any means," Hurdle said. "I think Hawk has pitched more heightened innings in his career."



Hawkins missed with the first pitch but froze Posada with pitches on the black part of the plate on the next two. After bouncing a curveball, he came back with a fastball that Posada hit to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who flipped to second to end the threat.
His history with Posada is one reason that Hawkins wasn't celebrating. The Rockies and Yankees will play again on Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
"I was in that division last year," said Hawkins, who was with the Orioles. "Being in our spot, me and Corpas, it's one of those things where you get me, I get you.
"You never know. Tomorrow could be the same situation, and Posada could get a hit off me. Because we have a history, he knows what I've got. It ain't no secret."
Keeping such situations in perspective has to be Hawkins' secret.

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