The Colorado Rockies have been fooled. Not once, not twice, but more times than two hands worth of fingers can count.
Against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday, with a lineup depleted due to injury, their fate was a negative one yet again. The 6-3 loss concluded a winless weekend in which the club fell late each time.
Ahead are takeaways from the loss.
When it mattered most, Dodgers came out on top again
Dating back to last September, the Rockies haven’t won a single game against the Dodgers. Despite holding leads multiple times in the 11-game stretch, the final score has gone against them each time.
The losing streak is the fourth in franchise history of double-digits against a single club.
At Dodgers Stadium over the weekend, each game was within reach. Entering the ninth in all three contests, the Rockies were tied.
A big hit, walk or play simply evaded the visitors, while the Dodgers put together three walk-off wins, all by home runs. It’s only the third time the feat has occurred in franchise history.
The latest, against the Rockies’ best reliever, likely stung the most.
After a sliding play to his right, Ryan McMahon’s throw pulled Daniel Murphy off the bag. With a pair of runners on and two outs, the table was set for the pinch-hitting Will Smith. Inevitably, he came through, slicing a liner to center field to ignite the third 50,000-plus fan turnout of the weekend.
The Dodgers have been involved in several big matchups in recent years given their deep postseason runs. That experience paid off once again against their inner-division foe.
Senzatela puts forth another quality effort
By no means has the climb to consistency been easy for Antonio Senzatela. In between the gaffes, the hurler has shown abundant potential nonetheless.
On the year, including his latest outing, Senzatela has started 14 times. In that span, he’s allowed three-or-fewer runs, in five-or-more innings, nine times, with his start at Dodgers Stadium adding to the total.
Across 6.1 innings, Senzatela allowed two earned runs and struck out five. The success was largely driven by his lockdown efforts against the Dodgers’ elites.
Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger and Max Muncy combined to go 0-for-8 against Senzatela. The rest of the lineup didn’t fare much better, tallying five hits. In the seldom moments with runners on base, the youngster held a loaded Dodgers’ battery to 1-for-6.
He even received a dose of defense from his veteran first baseman:
Daniel M
U
R P H Y pic.twitter.com/ipHe0ZFEzc— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 23, 2019
The outing lowered Senztela’s season earned run average to 4.91, the third-best mark among Rockies’ starters this year.
Outside of German Marquez and Jon Gray, Senzatela has proved his worth in the middle of a jumbled rotation. A recently battered bullpen has only increased the importance of his successful starts.
Maeda makes quick work of Rockies’ jumbled lineup
The offense for the Dodgers struggled mightily early on. Keeping them in the game was a stellar outing from Kenta Maeda.
Outside of an early home run and seeing-eye single through a shifted infield, the Dodgers’ starter was a force. In The first five innings, he racked up five punchouts, with minimal damage done. The final two frames turned his start from good to great.
With the Rockies swinging away, Maeda retired the final six hitters in a row, needing only 12 pitches to accomplish the feat. The efficiency allowed him to extend the outing seven innings, the most in any start for him this year.
In 17 appearances (10 starts) against the Rockies, Maeda’s ERA is at a miniscule 2.30, including his effort Sunday. Among teams he’s faced more than twice, it’s the lowest mark of his career.
David Dahl breaks out of power slump
Expecting David Dahl to do more for the Rockies’ offense would be a big ask. On the year, his average has stood in the top-10 in the National League throughout.
The only thing that has lagged behind in Dahl’s production has been the power. In the month of June, he’d smacked only two home runs before their series finale, with seven total on the year.
On Sunday, in just his first at-bat, Dahl made sure to add to his total:
Person Making a Phone Call: Hello! I would like a home run, please.
Operator: Why on earth would you call me for that? You'd #BetterCallDahl 📞 pic.twitter.com/ra6gbtoOPu
— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) June 23, 2019
On a day where Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story and Nolan Arenado were all absent from the lineup, a breakout from Dahl was needed.
Expecting the power numbers for Dahl – who has registered the highest average exit velocity of his career this year – to increase is a safe bet. Once it does, the middle-of-the-order power for the Rockies will be an even tougher proposition for opposing pitchers.