Rockies-Marlins box

MIAMI - Rockies right- hander Aaron Cook has been dominating.

Surprised?

Don't be.

The Rockies aren't.

"It's not like he is on a hot streak," catcher Chris Iannetta said. "This is what he is capable of, and what he expects to do."

Expected or not, Cook has been impressive.

Cook helped the Rockies finish the second-best July in franchise history with a 6-3 victory Tuesday night against the Florida Marlins in a trip opener at Dolphin Stadium.

The Rockies are 54-51, matching the second-best record the team has had after 105 games. The Rockies were 55-50 in 1995, when they were the National League wild card and made their only postseason appearance.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins keyed a four-run third inning with a bases-loaded double off Marlins starter Scott Olsen, after an intentional walk to Matt Holliday.

The Rockies won their fifth in a row at Dolphin Stadium, improving to 16-9 since snapping an eight-game losing streak there.

But it was another night of Cook doing what he does best, stymieing opposing offenses, that was the primary topic of conversation among a Rockies team that is gaining confidence in its effort to spend the final two months of the season in the midst of the National League West race.

The Marlins got three runs (two earned) off Cook in the third inning, but he faced the minimum of three batters in six of the seven full innings he pitched, leaving after a two-out Hanley Ramirez double in the eighth.

"He is in a good zone right now," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "There's less effort and more power (to the sinker). There's more sync in his approach. There is more crispness in his slider."

And the results are there, too.

The Rockies' Opening Day starter, who was winless in six April starts, was 5-6 at the All-Star break and had allowed five or more runs in nine of his first 19 starts.

But he has allowed six earned runs in 29 2/3 innings of his four starts since the break. He has struck out 19 and walked seven, giving up 20 hits. He also has induced eight double plays, including three Tuesday, one of which ended the Marlins' three-run third.

"It's definitely a different thought process," Cook said. "I'm just thinking about throwing a good quality sinker down in the zone and knowing I can get a double play if I throw that pitch.

"It's a maturing process, learning how to pitch. Learning to relax and not trying to do too much. It sounds simple, but in earlier games this year, I'd get in situation and it was like I was speeding up to try and get out of the jam."

That's where the frustrations were building earlier this season when Cook sandwiched winless months of April and June around a 4-1 effort in May.

It's why Hurdle and pitching coach Bob Apodaca finally had a sit-down with Cook and challenged him to pitch to his ability instead of allowing other teams to get him out of a game plan.

"It was definitely frustrating, the idea of not executing pitches, when I know what I am capable of," Cook said.

Iannetta seems to have a feel for what Cook needs to do, too.

Cook is careful to say "I'm confident with (Yorvit Torrealba) catching, too. If I'm executing, it doesn't matter who is catching me."

But there is no way of ignoring the fact Iannetta has made only five starts since the All-Star break, and in four of those, he has caught Cook.

"I'm not smart enough to get too deep into that, but they are working well together," Hurdle said. "There's not a lot of shaking off. They have a game plan and stay focused on it. It's been a pleasure to watch."

It has been a particular pleasure for Iannetta, a rookie whose offensive struggles (1-for-3 on Tuesday ended his hitless streak at 29 at-bats) have left him in a backup role to Torrealba.

"I'm happy to be part of the roll he is on, and the roll this team is on," Iannetta said.

"It's not that he is doing anything special. He is executing, and when you throw a heavy sinker 93 miles per hour, mix in a four-seam (fastball) at 96 miles per hour and have a slider and changeup in your back pocket when you need them . . . that's a pretty good mix to work with."

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com

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