• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cook impressive as Rockies roll

Jul 26, 2008 - 3:52 AM By Douglas Tift PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies rode a solid outing from Aaron Cook and two home runs to a 7-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, their seventh in eight games since the All-Star break.

Cook (13-6) pitched eight innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out three, in outdueling fellow All-Star Edinson Volquez.

Cook, a ground-ball pitcher featuring a quality sinker, utilized 13 ground-ball outs - 10 in the first four innings - to avoid any trouble in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark.

"I tried to use my sinker effectively, because I knew that they were going to be an aggressive team," Cook said. "(Catcher Chris Iannetta and I) had a good game plan early and we were able to get a lot of ground balls. That usually makes for a good day."

With all of the ground balls, Cook relied heavily on his defense and it did not let him down.

"Guys played great defense, they are always on their toes when I go out there," Cook said. "They know that I am not going to be a high strikeout pitcher, so they are going to be ready. Time after time this year they have come up huge."

One of the most notable defensive plays of the night was turned in by third baseman Ian Stewart, who made a diving stop to his left and strong throw to get Adam Dunn in the second inning.

Rockies manager Clint Hurdle compared it to a play former New York Yankees great Graig Nettles used to make regularly.

"It seems like I have been making that play a couple of times a year," Stewart said. "It was just kind of like a reaction."

Garrett Atkins gave the Rockies (46-58) an advantage with a two-run double in the first inning. Getting the jump on Volquez was key, said Hurdle.

"That first blow to strike in the first inning to get a couple of runs, that's a big hit. It started some momentum," Hurdle said.

Jeff Baker and Brad Hawpe each homered in the third. Hawpe's blast was a two-run.

Willy Taveras had three hits and three stolen bases for the Rockies. He leads the majors with 45 steals. Hawpe, Matt Holliday, Atkins and Troy Tulowitzki each had two of the Rockies' 15 hits.

Volquez (12-4) lasted four innings, his shortest start of the season, and allowed five runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out five.

In his last six starts, Volquez is 2-2 with a 6.06 ERA, allowing 21 earned runs on 39 hits while striking out 24 and walking 16.

I think I'm doing something different in my mechanics right now, I don't know what it is, but I've got to look at my mechanics and see what's happening," Volquez said. "I'm missing a lot in the strike zone, I'm missing my spots and I've got to work on it."

The only run the Cincinnati (50-54) was able to scratch out at Cook's expense came on a single by Edwin Encarnacion to score Brandon Phillips in the second.

Matt Herges pitched the ninth and allowed a run-scoring double by Paul Bako.

Phillips and Bako each had two hits.