Long road to recovery nears end for Street

After enduring one setback after another this year, closer Huston Street finally appears healthy and ready to make his season debut for the Colorado Rockies.

Pitching in back-to-back games for the first time this season Friday, the right-hander struggled against the 51s, allowing three runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning of Colorado Springs' 9-4 loss to Las Vegas (27-35) at Cashman Field.

Although the 26-year-old took the loss, he emerged healthy from his second major league rehabilitation stint this year.

The Rockies will re-evaluate Street today in Colorado, and if all goes well, he expects to be activated for the first time since last year.

"It's June (12) and I haven't pitched yet for the Rockies. It's a long time coming, and I'm ready to get back out there," he said. "My hope, my expectation, is to get activated if not Sunday, then Tuesday for Minnesota."

Street, who signed a $22.5 million, three-year contract with Colorado before this season, experienced soreness in his right shoulder early in spring training and started the year on the disabled list.

Then, just as his shoulder began to return to full strength in mid-May, Street suffered a strained groin in his second rehab outing for Double-A Tulsa.

"It was really frustrating, because my shoulder was coming back," said Street, who allowed a hit and a walk Thursday in a scoreless inning against the 51s. "But (Thursday) was the first time I didn't have a little bit of apprehension about the groin. I had none."

Street started his second rehab stint on June 4, when he pitched a perfect inning for the Sky Sox against Reno. In his second outing Tuesday, he allowed two runs and had three strikeouts in one inning.

"(On Thursday) the ball was jumping out of my hand the best it has so far," said Street, who hit 91 mph on the radar gun. "It feels like it's all coming around exactly where I need it to be."

In four outings over eight days for Colorado Springs, Street allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, with one walk and five strikeouts.

Before Street turned in his worst outing for the Sky Sox (28-32) on Friday, Colorado Springs manager Stu Cole said he had improved in each appearance.

"He's done an outstanding job every time he's gone out there, and the main thing is he's come in healthy," he said.

A first-round draft pick of the Oakland Athletics in 2004 out of the University of Texas, Street earned American League Rookie of the Year honors in 2005, when he went 5-1 with a 1.72 ERA and had 23 saves.

Acquired by the Rockies before last season in a trade involving outfielder Matt Holliday, Street went 4-1 with a 3.06 ERA and had 35 saves in his first year for Colorado.

Contact reporter Todd Dewey at tdewey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0354.