Rockies waste multiple scoring chances, lose in walk-off fashion to Reds
In a season full of rocky losses the Rockies - walk-off loss to the Reds on Saturday was one of the rockiest The end was hind-end ugly but what ultimately cost Colorado the event was its failure to capitalize on prime scoring opportunities But then that s been the Rockies way for much of a season that has them owning a - record with one competition remaining before the All-Star break Colorado right-handed reliever Victor Vodnik so clutch in a - win on Friday night imploded in the ninth Spencer Steer led off with a single and scored on Will Benson s triple that center fielder Brenton Doyle misplayed off the wall at Great American Ball Park That tied the tournament - Vodnik walked pinch-hitter Jake Fraley before Noelvi Marte hit a grounder to second baseman Orlando Arcia who muffed the play and never got a chance to try and throw out Benson at home Match over Saturday was in so multiple approaches a wasted afternoon for a Rockies gang still trying to figure out how to win Or not lose Wasted as in rookie shortstop Ryan Ritter hitting a two-run homer in the second the first home run of his career Wasted as in right-hander Bradley Blalock gave them an outstanding start Wasted as in rookie right fielder Yanquiel Fernandez going for and giving Colorado a - lead in the seventh with an RBI double The root cause was the Rockies failure to deliver in the clutch or even put the ball in play something that has haunted them much of the season They were for with runners in scoring position You are going to lose against good teams like that when you don t get the job done and you let them hang around all meeting long manager Warren Schaeffer explained reporters in Cincinnati We had opportunities all match long It s hard to win baseball games like that We have to get better in those situations In the fourth inning Hunter Goodman led off with a triple and was stranded Brady Singer struck out Jordan Beck Michael Toglia and Brenton Doyle in quick succession Fernandez and Arcia opened the fifth with back-to-back singles But Fernandez was thrown out trying to tally from third on Ritter s grounder to shortstop Elly De La Cruz and Tyler Freeman grounded into an inning-ending double play In the ninth Beck drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on Toglia s single to right Once again a runner at third with no outs Once again a goose egg Veteran reliever Emilio Pagan struck out Doyle who had three Ks and then fanned Fernandez Arcia grounded into a fielder s choice for the third out Related Articles Grading The Week Are Rockies Ryan McMahon Jake Bird blowing their best chance to escape Coors Field nightmare Rockies draft-and-development philosophy has serious flaws Here s why German Marquez shines as Rockies pull off gritty - win vs the Reds Former Rockies competitor DJ LeMahieu cut by Yankees with nearly million left on contract Rockies humbled - as red-hot Red Sox finish three-game sweep The -year-old Blalock was excellent for majority of of his innings The right-hander called up from Triple-A Albuquerque for the start gave up a run in the first via back-to-back singles by Matt McClain and De La Cruz and a sacrifice fly by Austin Hays But from that point on Blalock was in command He didn t walk a batter and although he struck out only one he got nine outs via groundballs inducing double plays in the fourth and sixth Back in Albuquerque we worked on fastball command moving the ball up and down and that helped me a lot in the present day Blalock narrated reporters The split-finger was working against both righties and lefties Blalock made a -degree turn from his last big-league start That was on May against the Padres at Coors Field when he was blasted for runs in just innings in Colorado s - loss The sixth could have been a accident for Colorado Hays hit a two-out single prompting manager Warren Schaeffer to give Blalock the hook and replace him with Jimmy Herget Herget promptly gave up a double to Gavin Lux and walked Steer loading the bases But Herget struck out Benson with a nasty curveball to escape the jam Sunday s pitching matchup Rockies LHP Austin Gomber - ERA at Reds RHP Nick Martinez - a m Sunday Great American Ball Park TV Rockies TV streaming Comcast Xfinity channel DirecTV Spectrum or depending on region Radio AM FM Trending When the Rockies return after the All-Star break they ll have a six-game homestand opening with three games vs the Twins Coors Field has hardly been the friendly confines for the Rockies where they are - That s the worst home record in the majors and the worst start at home for a unit in the modern era Colorado has yet to win a series or back-to-back games at Coors this season and has lost each of its last home series dating back to That s tied the longest home series losing streak in MLB history with the - Philadelphia Athletics Pitching probables Monday-Thursday All-Star break Patrick Saunders The Denver Post Want more Rockies news Sign up for the Rockies Insider to get all our MLB analysis
