"Aaron Cook was the stopper for the Rockies a year ago.

This year, he's been stumped.

A year ago, it was Cook who provided the bright moments, particularly during the early weeks when the Rockies dug themselves a hole from which they never climbed out. From a franchise record eight consecutive winning starts - beginning with his third start of the season - to nine times stepping up to stop losing streaks, Cook was a legitimate All-Star.

The shine has been dulled so far this year.

With the Rockies failing to take advantage of an early schedule heavy on games against the rest of the NL West, Cook has seen them lose all four games he has started. He has failed to get past the sixth inning yet, the sinker that is his calling card has been inconsistent.

Now, both Cook and manager Clint Hurdle were insistent on Friday night that midway through Cook's six-inning effort against Los Angeles, the sinker finally began to sink.

They can only hope that is true. It would be one way to salvage some hope from a 6-5 loss at Coors Field that the Rockies can truly say they let slip away. Dodger catcher Brad Ausmus, the 40-year-old who was an expansion pick of the Rockies and then dealt away during the 1993 season because management didn't want him to impede the development of Jayhawk Owens, twice victimized the Rockies bullpen.

First, he got to Huston Street, who retired the first five batters he faced but then gave up a double to Street, and then a lazy single to Mark Loretta that scored Ausmus. Loretta eventually scored himself, putting the Dodger sup 5-3 thanks to a Jason Grilli wild pitch.

Then he solved Manny Corpas, grounding a game-winning tow run single into left field with two out in the ninth. And if that wasn't frustrating enough, the Rockies were unable to take advantage of a noticeably worn Jonathan Broxton. After working1 2/3 innings and throwing 30 pitches on the night before in Houston, first Broxton had to convince manager Joe Torre that he was strong enough to pitch again on Friday, and then he had to bob and weave, throwing 22 pitches to get the final three outs.

But then Cook and the Rockies know all about bobbing and weaving. It's what their whole season has been about in this disappointing 5-10 beginning, underscored by the Rockies having lost six of the first seven games of their current stretch of 19 in a row against the rest of the NL West.

Cook has made a living out of throwing strikes and inducing ground balls."