Comeback attempt falls short for Rockies as Phillies end Colorado’s winning streak
DENVER — As the Rockies have faltered in almost every aspect of the game so far this season, starting pitching has been the one constant for the team.
Colorado Rockies notebook: Blackmon off to worst start of career; Freeland makes progress
On Saturday, even that group couldn’t deliver. The Rockies fell to the Phillies 7-5, ending Colorado’s three-game winning streak.
Entering the game Saturday, the Rockies starters ranked second in the majors with 10 quality starts, trailing only the Los Angeles Dodgers. The rotation’s ERA was 3.43, the sixth-lowest in the National League.
Antonio Senzatela pitched well out of the gate, giving up a single from Phillies leadoff hitter Andrew McCutchen but rebounding to retire the next three.
Things began to spiral in the third inning, when a two-run home run from Rhys Hoskins gave the Phillies a 2-1 lead. Senzatela gave up two more runs in that inning. He made it through five innings, giving up five hits and four runs, including a home run.
“Not the expectation for Antonio,” manager Bud Black said. “But, you have to give them credit for hitting it out of the park a couple times and stringing some at-bats together.”
Senzatela got testy with home plate umpire CB Bucknor, who called at least six pitches balls that were in the zone. Some of these were high, others were low, and Senzatela appeared frustrated at the inconsistency of the calls.
Antonio Senzatela not happy with the home plate umpire tonight. There have been 6+ pitches that were called balls instead of strikes pic.twitter.com/7xv383acLL
— Danielle Allentuck (@d_allentuck) April 25, 2021
Senzatela said he lost his concentration after some of the calls that he thought should have been a strike.
Jhoulys Chacin, who the Rockies signed on opening day to use as a long reliever, replaced Senzatela, but only made it through two-thirds of an inning before he was taken out. He gave up a double, two walks and a three-run home run to extend the Phillies lead.
On a brighter note, the Rockies’ offense, the talk of the season so far for its lack of productivity, did manage to put up five runs against Phillies starter Aaron Nola.
Two of those runs came off a home run from Ryan McMahon. It was his seventh of the season, and he’s just three shy of surpassing his total for all of last season. Raimel Tapia, fresh off hitting the walk-off home run on Friday night, also scored a run.
“I think we are playing good baseball,” McMahon said. “I know the record doesn’t reflect that, but we’ve been in a lot of games. We’re a couple of big pitches or big hits away from a different outcome.”
Elías Díaz, who got his first start at catcher in a week, put on a show on defense. He caught Roman Quinn stealing, then picked off Rhys Hoskins in the bottom of the eighth. He also had a single in the fifth inning.
“Defensively he looked great,” Black said. “Caught well, blocked well, threw well. I thought he had a good game behind the plate, made some really good plays.”
Jon Gray will be on the mound on Sunday as the Rockies go for the series win.