Bullpen goes from bad to even worse
ARLINGTON, TEXAS» The Rockies’ latest bullpen blowup was volcanic in its scope. Think of Mount St. Helens in 1980.
Closer Wade Davis, signed for three years and $52 million, walked four batters in a four-run ninth inning, forcing in two runs, and then gave up a bases-loaded, two-run bloop single to Jose Trevino as the Rockies lost 13-12 to the Rangers on a muggy Sunday at Globe Life Park.
Colorado manager Bud Black, searching for an explanation to the latest bullpen fiasco, said Davis was struggling with his release point.
“There was definitely something not going right. I’ve never done that before,” Davis said from the funereal visitors clubhouse after Colorado’s 12th loss in 16 games. “I can’t be more frustrated with myself than I am right now.
“Having our team come back so many times and having (the bullpen) let us down has really gotten old. So something has to change.”
The Rockies belted out a 15-hit performance, and they came back from the dead, but it still wasn’t enough.
The Rockies’ hauntingly awful bullpen gave up three runs in the seventh with high-priced freeover agent signees Jake McGee and Bryan Shaw on the mound. Jurickson Profar’s RBI double off Shaw cut the lead to 10-9.
However, Trevor Story’s tworun homer in the ninth inning, his 15th of the season, seemed to
give the Rockies their needed cushion. Adam Ottavino, Colorado’s only truly reliable bullpen resident, had held the Rangers scoreless in the eighth. But Davis, looking for his 100th career save, couldn’t get the job done.
“It’s tough. There is no way around that,” Story said when asked how much the bullpen collapses are beginning to wear on the team. “You never want to lose games, obviously, late like that. It’s just one of those weird stretches right now. We are very confident in our guys, but it’s tough to put words to it.”
Entering Sunday’s game, the Rockies had lost 20 games in which they had held a lead, the worst track record in the National League. That number is now 21.
Entering their at-bats in the seventh inning, that ugly history was staring them in the face again as they trailed the Rangers 6-5 after another meltdown by starter Jon Gray.
But, rather than hang their heads, Colorado batters rapped out five runs on six hits to take a 10-6 lead. Gerardo Parra, quietly having an excellent season, ripped a three-run double to cap the rally. Parra is batting .297, and his four RBIs on Sunday gave him 26 for the season.
Included in the rally were RBI singles by Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez.
After five innings, Gray was looking golden. The Rockies led 5-1, and Gray had nine strikeouts without a walk and had given up just three hits.
Turns out it was fool’s gold, as the Rangers scored five runs in the sixth to take a 6-5 lead.
Ronald Guzman opened the bottom of the frame with a walk, opening the floodgates with just a trickle. The deluge began with a single by Shin-Soo Choo to Gonzalez in right, who tried to nail Guzman advancing to third. Gonzalez’s throw skipped under the glove of Arenado (Gonzalez was charged with an error) and Guzman scored.
Then Gray fielded a bunt by Delino DeShields, but second baseman DJ LeMahieu, covering first base, couldn’t handle Gray’s offline throw, giving the Rockies two errors in the inning and allowing Choo to scoot to third. An RBI single by Nomar Mazara, followed by Profar’s three-run homer, turned Gray’s strong start into a big mess. His line: five innings — plus five batters — six runs (five earned) on six hits. His ERA: 5.89. His average against: .284.
“It came down to one pitch,” Gray said of the slider that Profar feasted on. “If I can take back one pitch from the game, it’s that one. And I get of out there. I felt really dominant early, but it came back to that one pitch.”