The Colorado Rockies lost to the division rival San Francisco Giants Wednesday night, 7-4. Despite the loss, Colorado still won the series 2-1.
What was disappointing was the start put forth by Jon Gray. Gray, 26, has long been considered to be the most promising pitcher in the Rockies young starting rotation. However, he has struggled to pitch late into ballgames this season and has been shelled in the early innings.
Wednesday’s start was no different for Gray, as he was only able to log 3.1 innings pitched, allowing four runs on six hits while walking three batters and striking out five. Gray has yet to pitch past the seventh inning this season and has an ERA far north of 5.0 on the year.
Gray pitched a scoreless first frame, and Colorado’s offense managed to provide him with a three-run cushion when Nolan Arenado blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the first.
Even with that breathing room, Gray was unable to protect the lead as he coughed up two runs in the top half of the second inning, one of which scored on a wild pitch that got behind catcher Chris Iannetta.
The Rockies got a run back in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single to right center field hit by Charlie Blackmon, which made the score 4-2, home team.
From there, the Rockies bats went silent for the rest of the night, with things starting to unravel for Gray shortly thereafter.
Gray hurled a scoreless third inning and recorded the first out in the fourth inning before things fell apart. Mac Williamson ripped a 0-1 fastball to deep right field for a double. Gray then proceeded to walk Pablo Sandoval to give the Giants two runners on with one out. Following a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third base, Gray walked Gorkys Hernandez to load the bases. With the diamond juiced and former MVP Buster Posey at the plate, Gray struggled to throw strikes and wound up walking Posey, foring home a run to tie the game at four runs apiece.
That, certainly, ended Gray’s night on a sour note.
The Giants plated an additional two runs in the fifth inning, which began with Rockies pitcher Harrison Musgrave hitting Giants first basemen Brandon Belt with a pitch. Belt then scored on a triple hit by Evan Longoria, who later scored on a single by Brandon Crawford, putting San Francisco on top, 6-4.
Both teams went down quietly in the sixth and seventh innings, but the Giants once again scored another run in the eighth inning on an RBI single hit by Posey.
Colorado’s offense was in sync throughout the first two innings of the game, but was unable to muster up anything past that point. It looked like the team just flat, out quit.
The Rockies have an off day Thursday before returning to action Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers to start the last series of their current nine-game homestand.
With the loss, the Rockies fall to 30-26, 1.5 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the division. Still, even with those two wins in the series, Colorado is a mere 11-13 at home this year, which is ninth-worst in the MLB.
Rockies – Dodgers for three games starts Friday, June 1 with first pitch scheduled for 6:40 p.m. MT at Coors Field.
