Rockies shutout by Giants at worst possible time

The Colorado Rockies played one of their worst games of the 2017 season at one of the worst possible times, getting shutout in a 4-0 loss that completed a two-game sweep in San Francisco at the hands of the Giants.

Less than 24 hours after blowing a late lead and suffering a loss in walk-off fashion, the Rockies didn’t put up much of a fight, stranding nine runners on base and going 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position. It was only the ninth time this season the Rockies have been shut out.

The Giants got off to a quick start, plating their first run after Joe Panik pulled a ball into triples alley ending up with, you guessed it, a one-out triple. Denard Span hit a popup to left field that at first looked like it would not be deep enough but in hung up in the bay wind and wound up far enough into the outfield for Panik to tag and score with ease.

Two innings later, Panik doubled to lead-off and moved up on a Span groundball to the right side. For his second consecutive trip around the bases, the Giants second baseman scored on a sac fly, this time from Buster Posey who hit the ball out to center field. Brandon Crawford followed that with a solo home run just inside the foul pole in right, his 14th round-tripper of the season, giving the Giants a 3-0 lead.

Colorado had a chance to score in the third, getting a leadoff single from Jonathan Lucroy and a good sac bunt from Chatwood to move him up. Charlie Blackmon grounded out to second which got the runner to third with two outs and DJ LeMahieu walked but Nolan Arenado hit a line drive right at Span in center and the inning was over.

Again in the fifth, the visiting team had a golden opportunity to get some runs. Lucroy singled again but rather than go to his bench, Rockies manager Bud Black elected to have Chatwood attempt another sac bunt. It didn’t work a Chatty struck out and never appeared in the at-bat at all. Blackmon followed with an infield single to put two on with one out but LeMahieu was called out on a full count pitch several inches outside and Arenado popped out to the shortstop, once again the MLB RBI leader leaving runners on base. Arenado left five men on base in this one.

It happened again in the seventh after a single from Mark Reynolds and Lucroy’s third straight single in the game. Pat Valaika was called upon to pinch-hit and Black decided to let him swing away. He struck out. Then Blackmon grounded out to second, putting runners at first and third with two outs before LeMahieu struck out to end the inning.

All told, Tyler Chatwood put up a decent start, tossing six innings and giving up three runs on five hits, walking two and striking out four. Scott Oberg was tagged for a run in the seventh when it looked like he had escaped the inning on a third strike to Panik but it was ruled a ball and on the next pitch the Rockie-killer delivered a single the other way to score Hunter Pence who had walked and moved up on a wild pitch.

The Rockies are 4-for-their-last-22 with runners in scoring position.

Colorado fell to 82-70 and now await the outcome of today’s Milwaukee Brewers game. Should the Brewers beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, they will tie the Rockies for the second spot in the National League Wild Card.

The Rockies are off to San Diego for a huge four-game set against the Padres. Tyler Anderson takes the ball against Clayton Richard in Game 1. First pitch at 8:10 mountain time.