Colorado ace Aaron Cook hurt as Rockies drop opener of key 4-game series against Giants 6-3

Giants take opener of key series against Rockies

DENVER — While the music blared in the San Francisco clubhouse, Colorado Rockies injured ace right-hander Aaron Cook found a sliver of hope in his inflamed pitching shoulder.

“I’m not too concerned. The last time I was on the DL, we went to the World Series,” Cook cracked.

A sore right shoulder knocked Cook out of the Rockies’ 6-3 loss to the Giants on Friday night. He’ll be re-evaluated Saturday but at the minimum will miss his next start, manager Jim Tracy said.

Aaron Rowand took advantage of Cook’s early departure with a three-run homer off reliever Josh Fogg in the fourth inning, Jonathan Sanchez tossed five solid innings and the Giants shaved Colorado’s NL wild-card lead to one game.

“Trying to score as many runs against this team is key because they’re not ever going to quit,” Rowand said. “You saw it in the ninth inning. They can score runs with the best of them and we have to score as many as we can as early as we can to give our pitcher a chance to settle down a little bit.”

Sanchez (6-10) allowed an unearned run and two hits to win for just the third time since his no-hitter against San Diego on July 10. He struck out eight and walked four while handing the Rockies a rare setback at Coors Field, where Colorado had won 25 of its first 35 games under Tracy, who took over from fired manager Clint Hurdle on May 29.

Cook (10-6) allowed four earned runs and three hits with four walks. He said the team doctor was cautiously optimistic he wasn’t seriously injured but that he wouldn’t know for sure until the swelling subsides.

“Hopefully it’s just one of those things that came on real quick and we can get rid of it real quick,” said Cook, who gave up three runs in the first.

Winning the opener prevented the Giants from falling three games off the pace heading into a three-day stretch in which they’ll face double-digit winners Jorge de La Rosa, Ubaldo Jimenez and Jason Marquis.

“It’s big for us,” Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. “We had a tough loss yesterday. We’re playing a good team in their ballpark so to get the first one was big for us. The last couple of games we have not scored and we score three in the first.”

At Los Angeles, Randy Wolf combined with two relievers on a one-hitter and hit a two-run double to give Dodgers their second straight win.

The Cubs’ lone hit was Ryan Theriot’s RBI single with two outs in the third.

Wolf (8-6) allowed one run, struck out five and walked two in seven innings for his third consecutive victory.

Jonathan Broxton pitched a perfect ninth for his 27th save.

Rookie Randy Wells (9-6) gave up two runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings.

At San Diego, Nick Hundley hit a three-run homer and Clayton Richard won his third straight decision for the Padres.

Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse (5-8) left after straining his left groin running out a single in the fifth inning.

Richard (3-0) was pulled after a leadoff walk in the seventh. He held St. Louis to five hits while striking out six and walking three.

At New York, Jeff Francoeur homered and had three hits and Mike Pelfrey outpitched a struggling Cole Hamels to lead the struggling Mets.

Francisco Rodriguez escaped a ninth-inning jam for his 27th save.

Pelfrey (9-8) tossed six solid innings, improving to 3-0 in four starts against Philadelphia this season.

Hamels (7-8) allowed 10 hits in five innings before he was lifted for a pinch-hitter. The World Series MVP is 0-3 in four August outings.

At Pittsburgh, Charlie Morton pitched into the seventh inning after a disastrous start in his previous outing and the Pirates won their fourth straight.

Garrett Jones and Lastings Milledge homered for Pittsburgh, which dropped 11 of 12 prior to the streak.

Morton (3-6) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 1-3 innings to earn his first win since July 18.

At Atlanta, Hanley Ramirez extended his career-high hitting streak to 16 games with three hits, including a two-run homer, to lead the Marlins in a rain-delayed victory.

Anibal Sanchez (2-4), who came off the 60-day disabled list before the game, pitched six-plus innings for Florida. He allowed one run and two hits, walked two and struck out seven.

Leo Nunez picked up his 13th save with a scoreless ninth

Javier Vazquez (10-9) went 6 2-3 innings and allowed 10 hits and five runs with one walk and eight strikeouts for Atlanta.

At Washington, Prince Fielder and Casey McGehee homered, and Milwaukee broke a four-game losing streak.

Braden Looper (11-6) allowed two runs over six innings for the Brewers.

Rookie J.D. Martin (2-3) allowed a two-run home run to Fielder in the first and a solo shot by McGehee in the fourth.

At Houston, Roy Oswalt allowed three hits in seven innings and the Astros handed Arizona its sixth straight loss.

Oswalt (7-4) improved to 9-1 in 11 career starts against the Diamondbacks, including a 7-0 mark in seven starts at Minute Maid Park.

Yusmeiro Petit (2-8) lost for the fifth time in seven starts.