Rockies get solid start yet split doubleheader at Cincinnati

Marquez, erratic for much of season, continues to sharpen up

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times. It was a tale of the Rockies' two seasons all wrapped into one doubleheader at Cincinnati's Great American Ballpark on Sunday.

And it said a lot about how far the Rockies have to go.

After getting a solid start from German Marquez and timely hits in an 8-4 win in Game 1, the Rockies pitched poorly, fielded poorly, and were no-shows at the plate in a 10-0 loss to the Reds in Game 2.

Colorado finished its longest road trip of the season — 10 games in 11 days — with a 3-7 record. They have not swept a doubleheader since taking two from Cincinnati on Aug. 17, 2014, at Coors Field.

Right-hander Jose Urena, a pending free agent who's essentially auditioning for the Rockies (or another club) for next season, got torched in Game 2. The Reds lit him up for seven runs (six earned) on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings.

“The biggest issue is that they bunched some hits together,” manager Bud Black told AT&T Sportsnet.

Urena began his Rockies career with three consecutive quality starts in July, promising hope with a 1.45 ERA. He's now saddled with a 6.19 ERA.

The Reds' five-run fourth inning featured a costly throwing error by third baseman Ryan Mcmahon, who threw wildly to the plate trying to nail Alejo Lopez. Not only did Lopez score so did Jose Barrero.

Mcmahon's 16 errors are the second-most in baseball, coming after a 2021 season when he was a Gold Glove finalist.

Cincy turned a victory into a rout with Aristides Aquino's grand slam in the sixth off reliever Chad Smith. The Rockies, meanwhile, managed just four hits against a corps of Reds pitchers and were shut out for the 11th time this season.

In the first game, Colorado's famished road offense feasted on the Reds' bullpen and Marquez continued his revival.

Reds rookie starter Nick Lodolo ruled the Rockies early on — he struck out nine and gave up two hits over six innings — but Colorado scored eight runs through the seventh and ninth innings to pocket a rare road victory.

Marquez’s only two mistakes came against right fielder Nick Friedl, who hit solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings. Marquez gave up three hits, struck out four, and walked three in his seven innings. He induced nine groundball outs.

Marquez, erratic for much of the season, continues to sharpen up. He has a 3.93 ERA over his last nine starts and has given up just two runs on four hits over his last two outings.

“German set a good tone, for sure, but so did their guy,” Black told AT&T Sportsnet. ” ‘Marky’ made two mistakes with a missed location on the fastball and he threw a breaking ball over the middle on the second (homer).

“But

he

was

very efficient early on and had a great pitch count. He had a very crisp seventh inning. He set a great tone, and he needed to.”

Rookie Michael Toglia’s bloop double behind down the right-field line in the eighth inning off Fernando Cruz drove in Brendan Rodgers for a 5-4 lead in what turned out to be the deciding run.

Colorado added three runs in the ninth, the key at-bat a two-run homer by C.J. Cron off right-hander Art Warren, Cron’s 25th homer of the season.

The Rockies needed the insurance because Jonathan India hit a two-run homer off Carlos Estevez in the eighth, cutting the lead to 5-4.

Charlie Blackmon’s clutch pinch-hit single in the seventh put the Rockies ahead, 4-2, giving them the lead for the first time in the game.

Blackmon, who entered the game ranked third in the National League in hitting with runners in scoring position, is now batting .345 (39-for-111) in the clutch.

The Rockies open a sixgame home stand on Monday afternoon against Milwaukee at Coors Field.