DENVER -- Rockies manager Clint Hurdle has often discussed the need to add a second lefty to the bullpen, and on Tuesday, he finally did.

The Rockies purchased the contract of 30-year-old Cedrick Bowers from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned pitcher Ryan Speier to the Triple-A club.

"I was kind of stunned when I found out," said Bowers, who is making his first trip to the Majors.

Hurdle made the move after the bullpen imploded on Monday night, surrendering nine runs in four innings. Several relief pitchers have struggled lately, including righties Speier, Matt Herges, Luis Vizcaino, Manuel Corpas and left-handed closer Brian Fuentes.

"You've got to be very creative, because when you have one lefty, and he's your closer, you don't have a lefty," Hurdle said. "Your closer is going to pitch whether [the hitter] is batting from the right or the left, so you eliminate that dynamic from the equation."

Speier, 28, pitched in Monday's game against the Padres and was charged with two runs allowed and did not retire any hitters. He went 1-1 with a 4.13 ERA in 25 games for the Rockies since he was recalled on April 6.

Bowers, who was originally drafted by Tampa Bay in the fourth round of the 1996 First-Year Player Draft, signed a Minor League contract with the Rockies during the offseason. In 16 games -- two starts -- with Colorado Springs, he posted a 4-1 record with a 2.97 ERA. He also held opposing batters to a .165 average (23-for-139) with 19 walks and 45 strikeouts.

Hurdle said Bowers has above-average velocity on his fastball, an accurate changeup and a swooping curveball that has the ability to fool left-handed hitters.

Bowers made stops at every level of the Minor Leagues in the Rays organization, including spending three full seasons with Triple-A Durham from 2001-03. He played overseas from 2004-07, spending time in Japan pitching for both the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and Yokohama BayStars. He spent last season pitching in Korea.

"I put up decent numbers over there," Bowers said. "But I kept thinking, 'This is fun, but only if I make the big leagues.' I just wanted that opportunity, and now I have it."