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Effort wasted in Rockies' loss

Fine start by Jimenez is blown by shaky bullpen, lack of clutch hitting

By Jack Etkin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 21, 2008 at 4:24 p.m.

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Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes is upended while dodging an inside pitch Wednesday. Barmes went 0-for-5 as Colorado lost to San Francisco 3-2 in 10 innings.

Photo by Ken Papaleo / The Rocky

Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes is upended while dodging an inside pitch Wednesday. Barmes went 0-for-5 as Colorado lost to San Francisco 3-2 in 10 innings.

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So much for that slight tail wind the Rockies felt three days ago after winning three straight.

They wasted a magnificent effort Wednesday by an ever-improving Ubaldo Jimenez, squandered an excellent chance to win a second consecutive series for only the second time this season and were left again to wonder why the parts seem so mismatched and where the season is headed after losing 3-2 in 10 innings to the San Francisco Giants.

"I don't want to ever feel like it's urgent, but it's time to start winning and winning consistently," losing pitcher Matt Herges said. "I shouldn't comment on what can happen if we don't, but nobody wants what could happen. It's time; it's definitely time."

The Rockies slipped 11 games below .500 because of the trials of closer Brian Fuentes, who blew his first save after going 6-for-6 in save opportunities since taking over that role April 24, a walk for which Herges paid dearly and more woeful clutch hitting.

The Rockies scored a run in the first on a groundout by Matt Holliday. Jeff Baker's sacrifice fly brought home a run in the second, which was all the Rockies netted after loading the bases with no out.

Todd Helton, who said, "It feels like I'm allergic to RBIs right now," took a questionable third strike from Jonathan Sanchez with one out in the third and runners on second and third.

Regardless of umpire Derryl Cousins' accuracy, Helton, who fouled off two pitches during a six-pitch at-bat, said he should have been able to put a ball in play and not be at Cousins' mercy.

After Sanchez walked Ryan Spilborghs to load the bases, he struck out Chris Iannetta. That was par for the course for the Rockies, who went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position, dropping their average for the season with a runner on second or third to .228.

That's last in the National League, just behind the Giants (.229). The Rockies went 3-for-24 while losing the final two games of the three-game series to the Giants.

"We've got to find a way to get things done when we get runners in scoring position," manager Clint Hurdle said. "That at the end of the day is going to help everything else out. It gives your pitchers some room to breathe. It'll pick everybody up on offense; everybody's load will become a little bit lighter."

Jimenez carried his share of the load and then some by allowing three singles in seven scoreless innings and getting 16 of 21 outs on groundballs.

The seven innings matched a career high but was the first time he shut out an opponent for that long.

"My main focus (Wednesday) was trying to be down in the strike zone and not try to strike everybody out or something," Jimenez said. "Just trying to throw a strike."

He threw 63 of them in a 97-pitch outing. A power pitcher who was registering 95 to 96 mph in the seventh, Jimenez recorded only one strikeout, issued two walks and did not allow a runner to reach second base.

In his past three starts, Jimenez, who was once in danger of losing his spot in the rotation, has a 2.61 ERA, allowing six earned runs in 20 2/3 innings.

The Rockies fell to 1-5 in extra-inning games. They're 9-10 in one-run games, a deceptive record because they've lost 10 of their past 14, including the final two games against the Giants.

Fuentes gave up a leadoff double to Omar Vizquel in the ninth, a run-scoring single to Bengie Molina with one out and a two-out run-scoring double to pinch-hitter Steve Holm, a backup catcher who was scratched from the lineup with flulike symptoms.

Herges allowed a leadoff single to Ray Durham, threw two pitchouts while facing Rich Aurilia and walked him on six pitches.

"That was Little League right there and not that Richie couldn't have gotten a hit or hit one out of the ballpark," Herges said. "But I can't walk him. No way."

After Fred Lewis avoided a double play by barely beating shortstop Clint Barmes' throw, Vizquel hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly.

The Rockies were thwarted in their attempt to win back-to-back series at home for the first time this season and first time since winning two of three at San Diego and Houston between April 15 and April 20.

After winning three straight, including Monday's series opener against the Giants, the Rockies stumbled their way into a day off today, a rest that seems well-timed before completing what has become a 3-3 homestand with three games against the New York Mets.

"We probably need to get away, take a breather mentally more than anything else," Hurdle said. "It's tough sledding right now; there's no other way to put it."

Key moment: After Brian Fuentes allowed two runs in the ninth and blew a save, Matt Herges gave up a single and walk to start the 10th. Speedy Fred Lewis avoided a double play by just beating shortstop Clint Barmes' relay throw, putting runners on first and third with one out. Omar Vizquel followed with a sacrifice fly to medium-deep left field, with Ray Durham scoring easily as Matt Holliday's throw was well offline.

* Kay player: Ubaldo Jimenez pitched seven innings for the second consecutive start, allowing three singles and two walks. He got 16 of 21 outs on groundballs and didn't allow a runner to reach second base.

Kay stat: 3 blown saves for Fuentes, who had converted six straight dating to April 24 and had not blown one since replacing Manuel Corpas as the Rockies' closer.

ETC.

The Rockies fell to 1-5 in extra-inning games and are winless in three extra-inning games at home. . . . Giants catcher Steve Holm was scratched from the starting lineup because of flulike symptoms but delivered the tying double as a pinch hitter in the ninth. . . . Todd Helton has drawn five walks (two intentional) in the past two games. . . . Matt Holliday went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to eight games. . . . Second baseman Jeff Baker had a sacrifice bunt and produced an RBI on a sacrifice fly but went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, giving him four strikeouts in his past nine official at-bats. . . . Right-hander Taylor Buchholz extended his scoreless streak to 62/3 innings and has recorded six strikeouts during that span. . . . Injured left-hander Micah Bowie threw 20 pitches in a bullpen session, his first since a strained left forearm sent him to the disabled list April 22. Bowie is scheduled to throw another bullpen session Saturday. . . . Right-hander Luis Vizcaino, recovering from a strained right shoulder, threw 17 pitches in a game at extended spring training in Tucson on Tuesday and reported no setbacks. . . . Starter Jason Hirsh (strained right shoulder) was scheduled to throw in Tucson on Wednesday. . . . The Rockies are one of seven teams that have not recorded a walk-off win this season, a list that also includes Arizona, Kansas City, Seattle, Toronto, the Chicago Cubs and the New York Yankees.

NUMBERS GAME

3 walks allowed in the past two starts, spanning 14 innings, by Rockies right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez struggled with his command early in the season, issuing 20 walks in 23 2/3 innings during his first five starts.

RESTED

Struggling right fielder Brad Hawpe was not in the starting lineup, one day after leaving Tuesday's loss with a cramped right hamstring.

Hawpe was available to pinch hit and was in the on-deck circle when the Rockies made their final out in the 10th inning.

With left-hander Jonathan Sanchez starting for the Giants and an off day today, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle preferred to exercise caution with Hawpe, who is mired in an 0-for-12 slump and has recorded only five hits in his past 35 at-bats.

"To go out there and run him after I had to pull him out of a game, a day game after a night game, doesn't make any sense," Hurdle said.

END OF THE LINE

Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes and Giants outfielder Randy Winn went hitless, ending the two longest hitting streaks in the majors.

Barmes went 0-for-5, ending a 13-game hitting streak that matched a career-best streak he recorded in July 2006. Winn went 0-for-4, ending a 15-game hitting streak that had been the longest in the majors.

HE SAID IT

"I've been through enough. It's not like I've never blown a save before. It's part of the game and comes with the role. I wish it wouldn't have happened, but it's time to move on."

Brian Fuentes, Rockies left-hander, on rebounding from the first blown save he has suffered since regaining the closer's role last month.

Pat Rooney

Comments

  • May 21, 2008

    4:50 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    BJB writes:

    Its a shame....last year appears just an abnormality on the usual performance of our sorry Rockies, more than a turning point. They are psoitively stinking it up.....you get that with poor pitching and a massive under performance by our hitters.
    Its a long season but does not look good for the poor old Rox!

  • May 21, 2008

    7:17 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    n8tureboy writes:

    There's only 2 things wrong with the Rockies right now that I can see, they can't hit and they can't pitch. If they get those two things straightened out I think they'll be ok. And what is up with Atkins and all the errors?

  • May 22, 2008

    9:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    milloy36 writes:

    Like I said this isn't a championship team. They just got lucky last year beating all the bad teams in the National League teams(they all are) at the end of the season when the opposition was using minor league players. Looks like we won't be waving towels this year like they do at the Little League World Series.

  • May 22, 2008

    10:55 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TONEtheBONE writes:

    Time to put Bucholz in the closers role.
    How is Ramon Ramirez doing in KC by the way?

  • May 22, 2008

    2:24 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    RoxForBrains writes:

    What a monumental meltdown all around this year. Isn't it time someone gets fired? Let's start with the hitting coach.

  • May 22, 2008

    5:13 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    AKuser writes:

    Guess the big man upstairs stopped answering the phone. Management might need to go to plan B, investing some $ in actual pitching talent.