DENVER — A new skipper rekindled the Colorado Rockies.
Jason Marquis pitched eight sharp innings, making Jim Tracy’s debut as the Rockies manager a success in a 3-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Friday night.
Tracy was promoted to interim manager Friday following the firing of Clint Hurdle, who had been in charge of the Rockies since three weeks into the 2002 season.
Behind a six-hit performance from Marquis, the Rockies snapped a three-game skid. Marquis (7-3) struck out a season-high six and walked four to pick up his third straight win.
Huston Street pitched a perfect ninth for his eighth save.
Yorvit Torrealba had two hits, including an RBI single in the second. He also bounced a two-out, bases loaded grounder that third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff mishandled, allowing two runs to score.
It was Kouzmanoff’s first error of the season.
Chris Young (4-3) allowed just Torrealba’s two hits and one earned run in six innings. He also walked a season-high six batters.
Still, the performance was an improvement over his last outing at Coors Field in April, when he allowed a season-high eight runs in three innings.
With his team slumping, Hurdle was relieved of his duties Friday after seven-plus seasons in Denver. He led the Rockies to their only World Series appearance in 2007, where the team was swept by Boston.
Hurdle, who has been with the organization for 16 seasons, was offered a job in the club’s front office but didn’t address that situation at a news conference.
This is Tracy’s third stint as manager in the big leagues. The 53-year-old Tracy has a 562-572 managerial mark with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2001-05) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2006-07).
Tracy inherits a squad that resides in last place in the NL West, 10 games below .500 before Friday.
“We’re not going to sit here and pretend like what we’re doing is OK because we’ve dug a huge hole for ourselves,” said Tracy, who joined Colorado’s staff as a bench coach last November. “And you don’t throw all of the dirt back in the hole all at once. You take it step by step.”
Tracy said he wouldn’t make drastic changes, but vowed to make players more accountable. He put runners in motion on a frequent basis in his debut Friday.
Troy Tulowitzki appreciates that tactic.
“You want a guy looking over the whole team that is demanding and expects a lot from his players,” said Tulowitzki, who went 0-for-2 with two walks. “We’ll see. I’ve never played for another manager, so it’s going to be a little different for myself.”
Notes: Colorado Springs Sky Sox MGR Tom Runnells filled Tracy’s
spot as bench coach and was in uniform Friday night. Runnells returns to the majors for the first time since managing the Montreal Expos for parts of two seasons (‘91-92). … Padres OF Cliff Floyd (right shoulder strain) flew in Friday and worked out with the team. “We will make a decision (Saturday) what to do with him,” Padres MGR Bud Black said. … Tracy is the fifth different manager in Rockies history. … The win Friday was the franchise’s 700th in the Mile High City.
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