The Rockies’ margin for error is razor-thin. On the road, it’s laser-thin. On the road, against a quality starter, it’s close to nonexistent.
That thesis proved true again Wednesday afternoon in a 7-1 drubbing at the hands of the resurgent Astros at Minute Maid Park.
The Rockies were dominated by Spencer Arrighetti. The right-hander limited Colorado to three hits over seven scoreless innings, walked none and struck out 10.
Arrighetti’s command was remarkable. Of his 89 pitches, 70 were thrown for strikes. He got 22 called strikes, and of his 24 first pitches, 19 were strikes.
“Their guy had good stuff with his heater,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters in Houston. “The two different breaking balls were impressive, as was his fastball. He threw some balls by us at 96-97 (mph), with some life. It also looked like his fastball had some tail to it against our lefties.”
All told, the Rockies managed just four hits and struck out 14 times.
Houston (40-40) won its seventh straight game, climbed to .500 for the first time this season and beat Colorado for the 11th consecutive time at Minute Maid. It’s the Rockies’ third-longest losing streak at any visiting ballpark in franchise history, just behind 12 at Dodger Stadium (July 1, 2018 to Sept. 20, 2019) and Busch Stadium III (Aug. 1, 2018 to Aug. 18, 2022).
Although you wouldn’t know it by the final score, Colorado squandered a relatively solid start from right-hander Ryan Feltner. He limited the Astros to four runs on seven hits over six-plus innings. He struck out two and walked one. Still, Feltner has not won a decision since April 10 at Toronto.
“Ryan threw well and it was a pitcher’s dual through six innings,” Black said. “It was a well-pitched game but it kind of got away from us there at the end.”
Feltner’s line was tarnished by Colorado’s defensive miscues in the Astros’ four-run seventh. Jon Singleton led off with a pop-up single to shallow center that bounced out of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar’s glove. Black said there was a miscommunication between Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle.
Tovar also chose to throw home on Jose Altuve’s chopper, attempting to get Jeremy Pena at the plate rather than throw out Altuve at first. Pena scored and Altuve reached base.
Next, Alex Bregman grounded to third baseman Ryan McMahon, who started a would-be double play. But second baseman Brendan Rodgers’ throw skipped past first baseman Michael Toglia, allowing another run to score.
All told, the Rockies committed three errors in one of their sloppier games this season.
The Rockies scored their only run on Brenton Doyle’s eighth-inning sacrifice fly to drive in Nolan Jones, who drew a walk and advanced to third on Jake Cave’s double off reliever Shawn Dubin.
The Rockies, who lost two games to the Astros in Mexico City in April, finished the season series 0-4 vs. Houston, having been outscored 32-9.
The Rockies are off on Thursday before beginning a three-game series at the Chicago White Sox on Friday.
Pitching probables
Thursday: Off day
Friday: Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (2-10, 5.63 ERA) at White Sox RHP Drew Thorpe (1-1, 5.02), 5:10 p.m.
Saturday: Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (6-5, 3.50) at White Sox RHP Jonathan Cannon (1-2, 4.59), 12:10 p.m.
Sunday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (0-3, 9.55) at White Sox LHP Garrett Crochet (6-6, 3.05), 12:10 p.m.
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
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