Give the Rockies points for creativity. They find excruciating ways to lose ballgames, largely because of their spectacular imploding bullpen.
Thursday afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum, they turned a walk in the ballpark into a full-fledged soap opera. Ultimately, they lost 10-9 to the A’s in 11 innings.
A few sordid details:
• The Rockies led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning before giving up 10 runs to lose the ballgame.
• They scored four runs in the top of the 11th and appeared to have finally clinched the win. Nope. Oakland scored five runs in the bottom of the frame, marking the first time in Rockies history they gave up five runs in an extra inning.
• The salt-in-wound ending featured right-hander Peter Lambert walking pinch-hitter Tyler Soderstrom on four straight pitches with the bases loaded to force in the winning run.
“This one stings a little bit,” Lambert told reporters in Oakland. “We were kind of in control the whole game and had a couple of tough innings late. But we’ll move past it.”
Rockies manager Bud Black was more blunt after his team completed a nine-game road trip with a 4-5 record.
“The bullpen guys struggled,” Black told reporters. “It was a really tough one for those guys. As good a win as yesterday’s was (4-3 in 12 innings), this was a tough one. But we’ll bounce back.”
Colorado’s four-run 11th was a group affair. It got RBI singles by Jake Cave and Brenton Doyle and a two-run double by pinch-hitter Brendan Rodgers. Back-to-back extra-innings wins would have made for a nice flight back to Denver.
Instead, the Rockies’ relievers faltered. J.D. Davis hit a two-run homer off Tyler Kinley in the eighth. Daz Cameron hit a solo homer off Jalen Beeks in the ninth to send the game into extra innings. Zack Gelof hit an RBI single off Justin Lawrence to send the game to the 11th inning.
Then came the epic meltdown.
Oakland’s Max Schuemann doubled home a run off Matt Koch to jumpstart its winning rally. Abraham Toro followed with an RBI single, and JJ Bleday tied the score with a two-run homer. Enter Lambert, who gave up two hits and intentionally walked Kyle McCann to load the bases before walking Soderstrom to force in the winning run.
Colorado’s 5.10 bullpen ERA is the worst in the National League, while the 1.65 WHIP and .284 opponents’ average are the worst in the majors. Rockies relievers are walking 5.00 batters per nine innings, the highest walk rate in the majors, while their 7.22 strikeouts per nine innings is the lowest in the NL.
The Rockies, who have lost five of six games on the heels of a seven-game winning streak, received a solid start from right-hander Ryan Feltner. He pitched six scoreless innings, allowing only four hits, striking out six and walking two. Best of all, Feltner avoided the one bad inning that has often derailed him this season.
“He was aggressive with the fastball in a couple of big spots,” Black said. “He pitched well. I thought his best innings for the fifth and sixth. He was more efficient, under control delivery-wise, and he hit his spots. It was a good outing for him. It should be a good confidence-builder.”
Friday’s pitching matchup
Phillies LHP Cristopher Sanchez (2-3, 3.31 ERA) at Rockies LHP Ty Blach (1-2, 5.14)
6:40 p.m. Friday, Coors Field
TV: Rockies.TV (streaming); Comcast/Xfinity (channel 1262); DirecTV (683); Spectrum (130, 445, 305, 435 or 445, depending on region).
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Blach, who supplanted right-hander Peter Lambert in the rotation, was on a nice roll, going 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA over three outings before the Giants rocked him for six earned runs in just three innings last Saturday at San Francisco. Manager Bud Black would be pleased if Blach could give the Rockies five strong innings against the potent Phillies at Coors Field. One of Blach’s career highlights came against the Phillies on June 2, 2017. Pitching for the Giants, Blach tossed a complete-game shutout. The lefty has made six career appearances against Philly (three starts), going 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA.
Sanchez dominated Colorado earlier this season at Philadelphia, allowing one run on six hits over six innings. He struck out 10 and walked just one. In nine career starts against the Rockies, he’s 2-3 with a 3.31 ERA, 47 strikeouts and 18 walks. Sanchez, part of the Phillies’ terrific starting rotation, is coming off a quality start against the Nationals last Saturday. He gave up two runs on eight hits over seven innings, fanning eight and walking none.
Pitching probables
Saturday: Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (6-2, 3.05) at Rockies RHP Dakota Hudson (1-7, 5.89), 6:10 p.m.
Sunday: LHP Ranger Suarez (9-0, 1.36) at Rockies RHP Cal Quantrill (3-3, 3.59), 1:10 p.m.
Want more Rockies news? Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis.
