Arenado’s grand slam not enough to save win streak
CARDINALS 5, ROCKIES 4 (10 INN.)
ST. LOUIS» Busch Stadium is hardly a funhouse for the Rockies. More like a house of horrors.
The Rockies lost here again Monday night, falling 5-4 to Cardinals on a one-out, walk-off solo home run by Marcell Ozuna in the 10th inning off left-hander Jake McGee. Ozuna ripped McGee’s 1-1, 93 mph fastball 429 feet to left field. It was the first walk-off home run of Ozuna’s career.
The loss snapped Colorado’s four-game winning streak and extended their losing streak at Busch Stadium to six games. In fact, the Rockies have lost nine of their last 11 at Busch and 17 of their last 21 games, dating to 2012.
This loss was especially painful because the Rockies frittered away the 4-1 lead they established on Nolan Arenado’s fifth-inning grand slam. But other than that highlight, the Rockies were not very productive at the plate, batting 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Tag this loss not only on McGee — who owns a 6.11 ERA — but on Rockies starter Tyler Anderson. He was cruising toward a victory
until he went into the ditch in the seventh. Three consecutive walks — to Ozuna, Jedd Gyorko and Yairo Muñoz — loaded the bases with no outs.
Right-hander Scott Oberg relieved Anderson and struck out Dexter Fowler but then walked Harrison Bader to force in a run, and then yielded a two-out, tworun single to hot-hitting Matt Carpenter. Colorado’s lead, and momentum, were gone.
Anderson was excellent before the seventh-inning meltdown; his only big mistake was giving up a leadoff home run to Gyorko in the fifth. The left-handed Anderson gave up only three hits and three walks, but all of those walks came in succession and marred his evening.
Early on, it looked as if Arenado, who’s making a bid for the National League MVP, would be the night’s hero.
In the fifth, Colorado got a rally brewing on singles by Gerardo Parra and Charlie Blackmon off starter Carlos Martinez, who then departed the game with a shoulder strain. Reliever Daniel Poncedeleon came in and promptly loaded the bases by walking Ian Desmond.
Up stepped Arenado, who crushed a 1-0, 95.8 mph fastball 418 feet and onto the grass berm beyond center field. The home run was Arenado’s 28th of the sea- son, the most in the National League. It was the fifth grand slam of Arenado’s career, tying him with Garrett Atkins for fifth in franchise history.
Arenado entered Monday’s game with a .335 career batting average with runners in scoring position. According to Stats Inc., Arenado was fourth among all players since 1974 and second among active players with runners in scoring position. Those with higher averages with RISP are Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew, followed by current Reds star first baseman Joey Votto.