Cook and Rockies beat Cubs 4-2 to end 4-game slide

[April 25, 2008]  DENVER (AP) -- Aaron Cook pitched eight strong innings and Brian Fuentes earned his first save in 10 months to help the Colorado Rockies end a four-game skid with a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Thursday.

Cook (3-1) won his third straight start and halted the Cubs' six-game win streak. Chicago had won nine of its last 10 games.

Jason Marquis gave up eight hits and struck out four in seven innings. Kevin Hart (2-1) took the loss in relief.

Fuentes, who took over the closer's role from struggling Manny Corpas before the game, worked a perfect ninth to record his first save since last June 21.

The Rockies broke a 2-all tie in the eighth. Matt Holliday led off with a double and moved to third on a ground out by Garrett Atkins. After an intentional walk to Brad Hawpe, Troy Tulowitzki hit a grounder to Ronny Cedeno at second, but shortstop Ryan Theriot overran second and couldn't make a play and Holliday scored.

One out later, Ryan Spilborghs drove in Hawpe with a single to left.

Chris Iannetta hit his first homer of the year leading off the seventh to give Colorado a 2-1 lead, but the Cubs came back in the eighth. Geovany Soto led off with a single, Felix Pie and pinch-hitter Daryle Ward followed with walks, and Mike Fontenot drove in pinch-runner Cendeno with a ground out.

Cook escaped with minimal damage when Theriot lined into a double play to end the inning.

The Rockies took a 1-0 lead in the first. Scott Podsednik led off with a single, stole second and came home on Todd Helton's single to right.

Chicago answered in the second inning. Kosuke Fukudome and Mark De Rosa drew one-out walks and Pie's two-out single drove in Fukudome. 

Cook settled down after giving up the run, retiring the next 16 batters, including a five-pitch fourth inning. That gave Colorado's busy bullpen some much-needed rest.

Marquis kept pace with Cook. After Colorado got two on in the second inning, he gave up one more hit through the sixth and didn't let a runner get past first base. He allowed a leadoff walk to Holliday in the sixth, but retired the next three batters before giving up Iannetta's solo homer to start the seventh.

Notes: The Rockies acquired minor league pitcher Sean Smith from the Cleveland Indians to complete the trade that sent infielder Jamey Carroll to Cleveland on Dec. 8, 2007. ... Chicago's 15-6 record matched its best start in franchise history. The last time the Cubs won 15 of their first 21 was 1975.

[Associated Press; By LARRY LAGE]

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.