The Colorado Rockies have looked anything but graceful in the NLDS. Down 2-0 to the Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado’s lack of offense has been gut-wrenching.
Thursday and Friday’s games were frustrating from beginning to end. Not once did it look like the Rockies settled into the heat of playing in a best-of-five series in baseball’s big dance.
Really, it was rather strange. Colorado’s offense completely sputtered out of the gate, while the pitching held strong. It is definitely possible that the jitters of playing in a postseason series impacted the young core of guys like David Dahl, Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story.
However, there was a bit of life injected into Colorado’s lineup in the top of the ninth inning in game 1 when veteran outfielder Gerardo Parra pinch hit for catcher Chris Iannetta and earned just the second hit of the evening via a single off of a 1-0 fastball. From there, Colorado’s near comeback started, only to end in heartbreak as Adam Ottavino surrendered a walk-off single to Mike Moustakas.
Nevertheless, there was absolutely a noticeable change in energy when Parra stepped into the batter’s box. All evening Colorado’s hitters felt like they were pressing, thus part of the reason they only recorded one hit through the first eight innings of play.
Parra did not just start the rally; he put forth arguably the best at-bat of the night in the top of the 10th inning, an eight-pitch battle that ended with a fly ball hit to right field that was just a couple feet from entering the stands. Although the ball did not quite get out of the park, the at-bat should serve as a template for the Rockies offense moving forward.
Parra got the nod to start in place of David Dahl in game two of the NLDS and made the most of the opportunity by recording two base hits. Once again it was Parra that was putting forth the best effort at the dish for Colorado despite the offense failing to score a single run in their game 2 loss.
“He’s been swinging the bat I think very well,” Black said. “He’s been really solid as far as his at-bat’s, and I think it made sense to start him.”
The Rockies will now head back to Colorado in the midst of their most agonizing slump of the season. The Rockies have scored just four runs in their last three games, and following Friday’s loss, the clubhouse felt more deflated than optimistic.
Nevertheless, the Rockies continue to say they will fight for the lives in the postseason, but if they want to have a legitimate chance at somehow winning this series they will need to have a quick turnaround offensively and taking a page out of Parra’s book is a good starting point.
“We have won three games in a row before,” Black said. “That’s what it’s going to take.”
Black has noticed the output of Parra’s at-bat’s and is hoping that he can rub off on some of the struggling hitters in Colorado’s lineup.
A majority of the Rockies offense looks as if they are pressing by swinging for the fences every time. The heat of the postseason, at least for now, appears to have the Rockies offense gripping their bats a little tighter and thus they have become subject to chase balls out of the strike zone more often and seem to be undisciplined at the plate.
Parra has been the exception. Rather than looking for the home run, Parra has shortened up his stroke and is zeroing in on base hits. It’s this simplified approach that the Rockies need to get back to moving forward in the series.
“He’s had very good at-bats,” Black said of Parra. “He’s getting his base hits, he’s seeing the ball well. A lot of times that is contagious, but we need more than Gerardo doing it as well.”
The Rockies find themselves in a tight spot moving forward, but with two consecutive games at home, there is certainly a chance Colorado could force a game 5 in Milwaukee. Colorado’s aces, German Marquez and Kyle Freeland, are set to take the mound in game 3 and a potential game 4; however, their performance won’t matter if Colorado can’t score runs.
Parra has embodied this postseason to the fullest and has recorded hits in each of the three postseason games the Rockies have played in thus far. The Rockies could use some of Parra’s mojo moving forward as their season is now just hanging by a thread.
“I don’t know if there is anything you can do. You have to just keep fighting through it and keep having good at-bats. We have to keep fighting the good fight.”
