First came the motivational, Jason Giambi and Todd Helton addressing the team Wednesday. Next, came the lyrical.
In an attempt to connect with the past, the Rockies turned to Madonna. Hey, if you don’t have a Hot Tub Time Machine, apparently an iPod is the next best thing.
Unlikely to make anything other than a minor move at today’s trading deadline, the Rockies’ current cast made another statement that, as is, it’s pretty good. The Rockies buried the Chicago Cubs 17-2 Friday night at Coors Field, cranking out more hits than the Material Girl.
“I have never seen anything like that,” manager Jim Tracy said, echoing what Cubs boss Lou Piniella said down the hall.
The Rockies delivered a season-high 21 hits, impressive but hardly as remarkable as the eighth inning alone, when they scored 12 runs. They strung together 13 hits, including 11 straight, which is a major-league record. To put the onslaught in perspective, the Cubs took 28 minutes to get the final out. The Rockies batted around twice, and the 12 extra-base hits for the game were a franchise record. So much for Huston Street’s save opportunity. (It was 5-2 when the inning began.)
“That was crazy, huh?” Rockies outfielder Brad Hawpe said.
The Rockies homered three times — Carlos Gonzalez, Ian Stewart and Dexter Fowler — and inflated Cubs’ pitchers’ ERAs with helium. It was further evidence why baseball is so maddening. The Rockies have scored 26 runs in the past two days. They scored 36 on their 11-game road trip.
Two weeks ago, the Rockies were kicking the tires on Lance Berkman, who is headed to the Yankees, and the Cubs’ Derrek Lee, who isn’t interested in waiving his no-trade clause for anybody. They made a pass at Dan Haren, who wound up in Anaheim.
But an eight-game skid created limbo, changed the outlook. The Rockies looked to move starter Aaron Cook, but got only nibbles from the Cardinals. And they listened to inquiries from White Sox and Tigers on Hawpe, but deemed him too valuable at first base given Todd Helton’s uncertain future. Hawpe continued his power revival with an RBI double, something the Rockies have been desperately seeking.
So if the Rockies are going to reach the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever, the mirror holds the answers.
“I think we have enough,” Troy Tulowitzki said.
Colorado continued in its attempt to salvage the homestand, if not the season, with a well-rounded performance. It started on the mound. Once hanging by dental floss in the rotation, Jeff Francis has been the Rockies’ best starter since the all-star break. He has allowed just four runs over his last 18 innings.
When Francis is right, he commands three pitches — sinking fastball, changeup and curveball. He also gets inside against right-handers. That was common Friday as he breezed through six innings, allowing just two runs. Games like this make it easy to see why Francis could re-sign with Rockies even if they turn down his club option.
He worked with a lead after the Rockies’ three-run third that featured doubles by Fowler, Seth Smith and three consecutive walks. It was a prelude to one of the most outrageous outbursts in team history.
“Sometimes things happen,” Francis said. “This team just makes you roll your eyes sometimes.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
An amazing inning
The Rockies were leading the Cubs 5-2 on Friday night when the bottom of the eighth inning arrived. By the time it ended, the Rockies were ahead 17-2. Some amazing facts about the inning:
• The Rockies’ 11 straight hits were a major-league record.
• Melvin Mora entered the game as a pinch hitter and wound up with two hits in the inning.
• The Rockies had 13 hits in 18 plate appearances, seven for extra bases.
• The Rockies had 13 consecutive batters reach base with two outs.
• Cubs pitcher Andrew Cashner had an ERA of 4.28 in 24 appearances. It rose to 6.26 when he allowed six runs without retiring a hitter.
• The Rockies had the bases loaded when Ian Stewart finally flied out to end the inning.
Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
Looking ahead
Jason Hammel (7-6, 4.34 ERA) struggled last season in his early exposure to Coors Field, but these days he loves LoDo. Hammel went 0-3, 5.49 on the Rockies’ disastrous Eastern swing, but he’s back in Denver, where he’s 6-1, 3.18. Tom Gorzelanny (6-5, 3.22) has rebounded from ERAs of 6.66 in 2008 and 5.55 in 2009. He has all the standard pitches, none overpowering. Footnote on Gorzelanny: He’s better on the road (2.25 ERA) than he is at Wrigley Field (4.05). Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
TODAY: Cubs at Rockies, 6:10 p.m., FSN
Sunday: Cubs’ Carlos Silva (10-4, 3.76 ERA) at Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (3-2, 5.65), 1:10 p.m., FSN
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Giants’ Jonathan Sanchez (7-6, 3.55) at Rockies’ Aaron Cook (4-7, 5.08), 6:40 p.m., FSN
Wednesday: Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (4-3, 2.70) at Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (16-2, 2.67), 1:10 p.m.
