Rockies rally to defeat D-Backs
Holliday's eighth-inning blast charges comeback
By Jason Grey / Special to MLB.com
PHOENIX -- A streak was broken on Friday night at Bank One Ballpark as the Rockies won the opener of this three-game series, 6-4, in front of 22,596.
The Rockies had not won a single game on the road this season when trailing after seven innings, going 0-for-33, but Matt Holliday's two-run homer in the eighth and poor Diamondbacks defense in the ninth enabled them to end that futility.
Aaron Cook's second start of the 2005 season was much better than his first, as he worked six innings, giving up four hits. He walked two and struck out three and left the game with the lead.
He gave up seven runs in 4 1/3 innings last Saturday in his comeback from two surgeries related to a pulmonary embolism condition, blood clots that had formed in his pitching shoulder and moved into his lungs.
Diamondbacks starter Brandon Webb allowed just one earned run in seven innings and struck out a season-high 10, but the starters were gone when this one was decided.
With the score 4-4 in the top of the ninth, Garrett Atkins hit a leadoff double. Pinch-hitter Eddy Garabito sacrificed him to third, but reliever Lance Cormier (7-2) threw the ball away trying to get Atkins, allowing the go-ahead run to score. A wild pitch moved Garabito to third, and he scored on a Cory Sullivan sacrifice fly to provide the final margin.
Mike DeJean (5-2) got the victory and Brian Fuentes worked the ninth for his 19th save.
The bullpen sucked as usaul until DeJean and Fuentes. Cook was great. Good to see him back healthy and pitching well. Nice job coming back finally too.