Giant step backward
Rockies’ goal to improve wild-card standing gets knocked out of park
Seven years ago, the Rockies’ September surrender came late, but it came hard. One game out of f irst place on Sept. 19, they lost 13 of their f inal 14 games and missed the postseason. Unless the Rockies start playing better baseball, this September is shaping up to be a cruel repeat of 2010, albeit not as harsh or as sudden.
Colorado was routed 11-3 by San Francisco on Wednesday night at Coors Field in a game in which rookie pitcher starter Kyle Freeland stumbled, perennial Gold Glove third baseman Nolan Arenado showed some tarnish and the offense — except for the continued heroics of Charlie Blackmon and a spark from Carlos Gonzalez — failed to show up.
San Francisco’s Joe Panik, meanwhile had a field day. He tied a career high with five hits and set a Giants franchise record with 12 hits over a threegame series.
All in all, Wednesday night stacked up as an ugly ending to a disappointing 3-6 homestand. Considering what comes next, the Rockies needed a better showing in LoDo over the past nine games.
Why? Because the Rockies now play 14 of their next 17 games on the road, a tough journey that begins Thursday night in Los Angeles against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. It’s the first of four games against an L.A. team on pace for more than 100 victories.
Then comes four games at
Arizona, a hot team running away with the National League’s No. 1 wild-card spot after sweeping three games from the Rockies at Coors Field last weekend. The Diamondbacks entered Thursday night’s game at the Dodgers having won 12 consecutive games.
On the brighter side, Milwaukee continues to stumble in its pursuit of the NL’s second wild card. The Brewers, who lost 7-1 to Cincinnati and have dropped four of five, remain 2K games behind Colorado. St. Louis, playing a late game at San Diego, opened the night three games behind the Rockies.
Blackmon might not garner enough votes for National League MVP, but he has been Colorado’s strong and steady force all season. His 450-foot solo homer in the seventh was his 34th home run of the season, and one of Colorado’s few highlights. Blackmon — who added a double and scored a run in the fifth on Gonzalez’s single — leads the NL with a .340 average.
Gonzalez, promoted to the No. 3 hole for the night, went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a double.
Freeland’s night was short and not the least bit sweet. He pitched just 3 L innings, getting rocked for five runs (three earned) on seven hits. The rookie left-hander got in trouble early and was not backed up by the usually golden Arenado.
“Most of the hits tonight came off fastballs,” Freeland said. “They barreled them up. They caught a lot of the plate and weren’t located well.”
With two on in the first inning, Nick Hundley hit a chopper to Arenado, who failed to handle the ball cleanly. Arenado’s seventh error of the season loaded the bases with one out. After a strikeout, Austin Slater hit a single up the middle to drive in two runs.
The Giants ambushed Freeland in the fourth, extending their lead to 5-0. Kelby Tomlinson led off with a single and Ryder Jones followed with a walk. Cueto’s sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position for Gorkys Hernandez, who ripped a ball off Arenado’s glove for a two-run single.
So, has Freeland hit a rookie wall?
“I don’t want to think that,” manager Bud Black said. “I’m looking at his arm angle and everything, and physically, he’s showing all of the signs of hanging in there. But the quality of pitch to pitch is not where it’s needed to be.”