DENVER -- Aaron Cook gave the Rockies the quick, dominant innings they needed on Tuesday night. But as he moved toward his first Major League shutout, his teammates wouldn't give him what he wanted -- stimulating between-innings conversation.

"I always like to sit down and talk, but I noticed about the sixth inning nobody would sit next to me," said Cook, who ordered rookie pitcher Greg Reynolds to keep him company between innings.

There was no need for the rest of the Rockies to worry about a jinx. Cook threw a five-hit shutout in just 79 pitches, and ended the Rockies' eight-game losing streak with a 4-0 victory over the Padres at Coors Field before 26,221.

Cook (11-5) didn't let a runner past second base while equaling Shawn Chacon's 2003 club record for wins before the All-Star break. Also, Cook stopped a Rockies losing streak for the seventh time this season, and lifted them above the Padres and out of last place in the National League West.

"I try not to think too much about what's gone on going into my game, just try to give ourselves a chance to win the game," said Cook, whose complete game was the eighth of his career.

It lasted one hour, 58 minutes, the shortest nine-inning game in Coors Field history. Cook started the previous shortest full game, two hours, five minutes against the Braves on April 7. A rain-shortened, seven-inning game with the Phillies went one hour, 51 minutes

If it sounds familiar, it is. Last July 25, Cook vanquished the Padres at Coors on 74 pitches, which is tied for fewest in a complete game since STATS Inc. began tracking pitch counts in 1974.

"He was relentless in the strike zone," Padres catcher Michael Barrett said. "It's hard to work the count against him."

The Rockies needed a quick, happy night.

Monday night, the Rockies entered the ninth inning tied, but gave up seven runs and 22 hits for the game, in a 15-8 loss to the Padres that lasted three hours, 15 minutes.

"Especially with the games we've been having lately, standing out there with a lot of pitches," Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said, "it definitely seemed quick out there. It was an unbelievable performance."

Cook had to pick himself up, as well as his club. He had lost his previous two starts, to the Mets and the Royals, giving up nine runs and 20 hits in 12 1/3 innings. To combat his issues, Cook had a lengthy bullpen session with pitching coach Bob Apodaca, working on his release point.

The session may have been longer than the game.

Facing the Padres for the 18th time (16 starts), Cook expected aggressive swings at his sinker. So he crossed hitters with four-seam fastballs at times. He finished with 15 ground-ball outs that included two double plays and four strikeouts.

Cook also went 1-for-3 to lift his batting average to .265, dropped a sacrifice bunt during the Rockies' four-run fifth and fielded a hard Kevin Kouzmanoff grounder to start one of the double plays.

"He had it all, the total package tonight," said Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, who on July 15 will manage an NL All-Star squad that, unless there is an injury, will include Cook, possibly as the starting pitcher.

Two sequences illustrated why Cook has been indispensable to the Rockies this season.

The Rockies loaded the bases with two out in the third, but Padres starter Josh Banks (2-3) struck out Brad Hawpe. Instead of letting the Padres have momentum, Cook retired Edgar Gonzalez, Brian Giles and Adrian Gonzalez on five pitches in the fourth.

In the Rockies' fifth, Willy Taveras, who left the game after the inning with sore left quadriceps, knocked an RBI single. Hawpe added a fielder's choice grounder and Padres shortstop Khalil Greene threw wildly trying to get a double play. Two runs scored on the play. Garrett Atkins added another RBI single.

Then Cook kept the momentum with a blistering nine-pitch sixth.

"He's an ace," Hawpe said, "and, fortunately for us, that's what they do."