Lowe held the Rockies scoreless for seven innings and forced 17 ground-ball outs, and relievers Scott Williamson and Lenny Dinardo completed the Red Sox' 11-0 victory -- just the second shutout of the Rockies at Coors Field since July 5, 1999 -- in front of 40,088.

"I think out of his first 80 pitches he probably threw 71 sinkers. He wasn't going to do anything different, just making guys hit his pitch," said Cook, who struck out a career-high seven and gave up just three runs, despite poor command that often had Boston hitters ducking or skipping. "That's what I'm going to strive to be."

The possibility that they can get dominating pitching in any given game is a reason Boston (38-27), which averted a sweep that would have been Colorado's first of the season, holds second place in the American League East despite just a 23-21 record since May 1. Lowe (6-5) has thrown 14 straight shutout innings.

Meanwhile, having to depend on inconsistent youngsters such as Cook (1-2) with hopes they'll grow up to be like Lowe is a big reason the Rockies (23-42) are last in the National League West.

Of course, perfect pitching wouldn't have guaranteed a win. Colorado finished with four hits off Lowe and six total, unable to score for the second time in the last 400 home games, with a 6-0 shutout against Houston last Sept. 18 ending a 361-game non-shutout streak. Boston's David Ortiz drove in a career-high five runs, two on a seventh-inning homer.

While Lowe operated with ease, Cook threw 55 balls and 48 strikes, seeming uncomfortable the whole way with rain falling and the mud from the mound sticking in his spikes. He generally flirted with the big inning all game long.

As has been the case with each passing performance by the mercurial Cook, a 1997 second-round pick who has been trying to get a footing in the Majors since coming up late in 2002, manager Clint Hurdle urged that Cook pay particular attention to what Lowe did and incorporate it in a hurry.

"For him to take the next step, be able to compete and become an above-average pitcher at this level, and to keep his spot, he's got to throw more strikes," Hurdle said. "When you're out there flipping a coin, whether it's going to be a ball or strike every time you load up, that's not good enough."

The second inning best illustrated Cook's plight. Cook set the tone by barely missing hitting leadoff man Manny Ramirez in the head, then striking him out.

Two singles and a walk later, Pokey Reese knocked a two-run single past diving shortstop Royce Clayton, who might have started an inning-ending double play if the ball had been a few feet closer. Reese took second on an outfield throw to put runners at second and third, but Cook forced Lowe and Johnny Damon into infield grounders to prevent further runs.

A fifth-inning Boston run was a similar case of Cook pitching himself into trouble, this time walking leadoff man Damon, and not getting the luck or outstanding defensive play to escape. Cook fanned Mark Bellhorn, but Ortiz smoked a liner at Clayton, who had to step aside for self-preservation and stab his glove at the RBI single that made it 3-0.

"He's got electric stuff, fortunately we were able to get a couple of runs across early and get his pitch count up," said Boston catcher Jason Varitek, whom Cook walked twice.

"I think he'll learn that touch," Clayton said of Cook. "I think with a sinkerball pitcher, it's a touchy pitch."

Reliever Kevin Jarvis, freshly called up from Colorado Springs, had an outing reminiscent of the worst of his performances in 2000, when he went 3-4 with a 5.95 ERA in 24 games for the Rockies. The Sox touched Jarvis for five runs, with Ortiz knocking a two-run homer in the seventh and a two-run double in the eighth. Boston added two ninth-inning runs off Scott Dohmann.

Despite the focus on his sinker command, Cook is not heaping pressure on himself.

"I did some other things better than I've done my whole career," Cook said. "I threw 20 changeups today, I was getting my slider over today. My fastball wasn't with me but I was able to get my other pitches over, and that's what allowed me to give up only three runs.

"I feel pretty good about this start. I wish I could have gone six or seven innings. But it is what it is and I want to learn from it."

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.