When Yadier Molina is stealing bases, it isn’t your night.
After tying their record for most runs scored in a seven-game span (74) the Colorado Rockies came back to the real world in the opening game of a series in St. Louis against the Cardinals. The Purple-clad visitors mustered just four hits before the eighth inning, and the pitching staff struggled all night in an eventual 8-2 loss.
The Rockies are now 2-11 in their last 13 road games.
Rockies starter Antonio Senzatela got knocked around in the first inning yet again, and while he appeared to momentarily recover, he just didn’t have it on this night. A demotion to the bullpen is possible, especially given manager Bud Black‘s quick hook after four lackluster innings.
The game turned into a clown show in the eighth starting, with Charlie Blackmon diving for a ball he had no chance to catch, allowing Yadier Molina to reach second base. Then, Jairo Diaz fell asleep and allowed one of the slowest players in the history of baseball to steal third base. Then he walked Luke Voit before more bad defense. Mark Reynolds fielded a grounder to his right and unwisely tried to go home with the off-balance throw, causing Tony Wolters to dive just to stop the ball from going to the backstop.
Still, Wolters had two runners caught up on the basepaths after the great catch but hesitated, failing to get Voit at third. Singles from Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia scored another pair of runs before Diaz could mercifully escape the inning. He certainly didn’t get any help from his defense but he did not exhibit anywhere near the command he will need to if he wants to stick at this level.
Wolters walked and Pat Valaika continued to be one of the best pinch-hitters in baseball this season, smashing a two-run home run to left to finally get the Rockies on the board. Blackmon and DJ LeMahieu followed with singles, keeping the Colorado rally going with nobody out. But Nolan Arenado and Gerardo Parra struck out and Mark Reynolds hit a line drive right at center fielder Dexter Fowler to end the inning.
Chris Rusin was cruising right along until his third inning of work when he gave up back-to-back solo home runs to Jose Martinez and Tommy Pham in the seventh.
The Cardinals took a four-run lead on a Randall Grichuk two-run home run in the fourth, his fourth straight game with a home run, 13th homer of the season.
Senzatela walked the first two batters of the game, they advanced on a passed ball from Wolters an RBI infield single despite the best diving attempt from DJ LeMahieu, and a double play from Jedd Gyorko that made it 2-0. Yadier Molina single, Luke Voit single.
Other than the Valaika home run, there was really only one highlight in the game for the Rockies. You can guess who provided it:
Guarding the line, Nolan Arenado style. pic.twitter.com/pyczU1XC9H
— MLB (@MLB) July 25, 2017
Colorado fell to 58-43. Game 2 of the series takes place Tuesday at 6:15. Jon Gray will oppose the Cardinals’ Lance Lynn.
