Rockies manager Jim Tracy insisted there was no campaigning. He didn’t have a eureka moment last winter while tracking a deer in the Pennsylvania hills.
He simply knew Brad Eldred in Pittsburgh and thought the old Pirates farmhand could start a new life in Colorado. So when player-development director Marc Gustafson suggested signing him during spring training, Tracy agreed.
The move, noted only by agate type on March 7, produced a headline Saturday night.
Eldred slugged his first big-league home run in three years, a two-run shot that powered the Rockies to a 4-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at Coors Field.
“I kept playing because I believed I could compete at this level,” Eldred said. “To be back and helping when a team really needs it means a lot.”
The victory moved the Rockies into the lead in the National League wild-card race and left them one game behind the NL West-leading Padres. Before this series, Tracy addressed the players as a group, telling them how important it was to finish strong.
“This is a run we know we needed,” said closer Huston Street, who appeared in his fourth consecutive game and won’t be available today. “But we can’t lose our focus. We need to use this momentum and carry that into the (11-game) road trip after the (all-star) break.”
Jason Hammel won his sixth straight decision. And outfielder Carlos Gonzalez homered again, his fifth on a homestand that has the seen the Rockies go 8-1 and recapture the city’s imagination.
Saturday’s game drew a paid crowd of 45,069, including a team-record 10,362 walk-ups.
The newbies saw some fresh faces. The idea that Eldred would be a key component was unimaginable even a week ago. But that was before Todd Helton landed on the disabled list and before the Rockies rallied for nine runs against the Cardinals, a magical comeback that sprinkled pixie dust in the dugout.
Colorado’s rise will be viewed with skepticism, but there is a logical explanation. The Rockies are hitting. They lead baseball this month in average, on-base percentage and runs, and have produced at least 11 hits in nine consecutive games.
The contributions have come from unlikely places. Eldred’s sixth-inning blast ricocheted off the back wall in the Rockies’ bullpen. It was his first in the big leagues since April 25, 2007.
In between, he hit 109 home runs for Triple-A outposts Indianapolis, Charlotte, Syracuse and Colorado Springs.
Eldred answers to the nicknames “King Kong” and “Big Country.” Both are odes to his size — 6-feet-5, 290 pounds — and prodigious home runs.
As the July 31 trade deadline approaches, Eldred could influence the Rockies’ moves. Their needs seem to change weekly. If he can provide right-handed protection for Helton and Jason Giambi, general manager Dan O’Dowd can focus on adding a veteran bullpen arm (Kevin Gregg and Octavio Dotel are among those available) rather than a bat such as Ty Wigginton.
The bullpen has regained its footing, and played a key role again, recording the final 11 outs.
“The last two weeks,” Street said, “it seems like everything has come together.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking Ahead
TODAY: Padres at Rockies, 1:10 p.m., FSN, KOA 850 AM
Rockies lefty Jeff Francis (2-3, 5.12 ERA) has been unimpressive in his last two outings, allowing 13 runs in seven innings. He escaped defeat against the Cardinals because of an improbable comeback. Francis is a finesse pitcher who relies heavily on command. His fastball has been elevated recently. This is a big start for Francis to create momentum, since his next assignment isn’t until July 20 at Florida. Jerry Hairston is 4-for-8 against Francis. The Padres’ Clayton Richard (6-4, 3.00) is a hard-throwing lefty who hasn’t surrendered a home run to a left-handed hitter in 106 at-bats. Richard has a career 3.64 ERA at Coors Field.
Upcoming Pitching Matchups
Monday: All-star break
Tuesday: All-Star Game, 6 p.m., KDVR-31
Wednesday: All-star break
Thursday: Off
