The Rockies appear set with four-fifths of next year's rotation.
Aaron Cook emerged as an All-Star this year, Ubaldo Jimenez evolved into a dominant right-hander, the Rockies are confident that a healthy Jeff Francis can rebound from his struggles of this season, and an in-season gamble on lefty Jorge De La Rosa appears to have paid off. And that's before they even explore the trade market, dangling the bats of third baseman Garrett Atkins and outfielder Matt Holliday in exchange for strong arms during the offseason.
De La Rosa added another piece of evidence to his claim to a rotation spot in a 3-1 victory against the Giants on Thursday night. De La Rosa worked seven shutout innings, giving up only three hits in equaling the longest effort of his big-league career, and also delivered a run-scoring single in the fifth.
Acquired from Kansas City when the early-season rotation plans failed, De La Rosa initially struggled with the same inconsistency that had troubled him during time in the Arizona, Boston, Milwaukee and Kansas City organizations.
But the Rockies needed a spot starter in early August against Washington, and he pitched his way back into the starting plans.
De La Rosa has gone 5-2 in nine starts since getting the rotation reprieve. He has seven quality starts in those nine games, having worked seven innings three times, including two seven-inning scoreless efforts this month.
"His tempo, everything he does has picked up," manager Clint Hurdle said. "He's so much more confident. Before it was, 'I hope I can get out of the inning.' Now it is, 'I know I can get out of this inning.'"
Not that there were many innings to get out of for De La Rosa, who left after seven innings because of a groin problem that he aggravated running the bases.
Only twice in his seven innings did the Giants get a runner past first base. Bengie Molina doubled with one out in the fourth, but De La Rosa struck out Scott McClain and Aaron Rowand. In the second, Molina singled and wound up on third thanks to a passed ball and a wild pitch, but he was thrown out trying to score when another De La Rose pitch got past catcher Chris Iannetta.
"We caught a break," Hurdle said.
Clint Barmes didn't catch many breaks. The first three times he faced Barry Zito on Thursday, he unloaded on pitches that the Giants' outfielders hauled in. He finally avoided that with the home run in the seventh to give Barmes what Hurdle called "the best 1-for-4 I've seen."
But then there was a lot of good for the Rockies in the success they enjoyed in San Francisco.
ROCKIES 3, GIANTS 1: The Rockies swept the three-game series and clinched third place in the NL West, the second time in 11 years they have finished higher than fourth place. Jorge De La Rosa (10-8) earned his fifth win in his last seven decisions. He worked seven shutout innings and also singled home a run. Brian Fuentes worked the ninth for his 30th save in 32 opportunities since regaining the closer role in late April.
