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The Rockies came into the night having lost 5 straight on the season and trying to avoid losing 5 straight to the Dodgers.

As the headline would allude, this did not happen for your Colorado Rockies. The Los Angeles Dodgers on the other hand came in with just 2 losses on the season, the best record in baseball at 10-2. With one of those loses coming on opening day against these Rockies in what was their home-opener as well. Since then both teams have went in completely opposite trajectories.

The first would see the Rockies mowed down by Dustin May on just 6 total pitches, including a 3-pitch swinging K against Garrett Hampson to start the contest. Jon Gray would be greeted with a much rockier start as Mookie Betts would lead off with a single. Gray would walk the next batter Corey Seager putting runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs and Justin Turner at-bat. Turner would come through with a single to right-center scoring Betts. Max Muncy would follow with a productive out, putting runners at 2nd/3rd with 1 out. Gavin Lux would drive in Seager with a sacrifice fly to deep-left. Gray would escape further damage by freezing Matt Beatty on an 89-mph slider on the outside corner.

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The next 2 innings would see the Rockies manage 3 singles, but nothing else while striking out 3 times. The bottom of the 3rd would see the next bit of scoring as Justin Turner turned around Gray’s 4th pitch of the inning 388 ft. to left-center making it 3-0 Dodgers up. The 4th inning had Colorado see their first real scoring opportunity as Ryan McMahon double to deep right-center. Then C.J. Cron would commence to strikeout swinging on a 99-mph fastball at his eyeballs. Then Sam Hilliard would fly out to shallow center to end their half of the inning.

Jon Gray would take the mound in the bottom of the 4th and looked dominant. Sitting the Dodgers down in order on just 15 pitches. He was at 89 total pitches, but I believe he earned to at least start the 5th after the way he looked in the 4th including making Mookie Betts look silly on 95-mph high-cheese to end the frame. But unfortunately, I don’t make those decisions.

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The 5th inning would see the Rockies finally end their scoreless streak at 26 innings after back-to-back shutouts against San Francisco to end that series. And against the Dodgers to begin this one. Dom Nunez would start off the inning with a strikeout. Yonathan Daza would pinch-hit for Gray and single to right. Then Hampson would showcase that speed again and reach on an infield single. Raimel Tapia would then walk and load the bases with just 1-out. Then Trevor Story, after a start to the season that saw him batting .265 despite a .305 XBA and average exit-velocity of 91.7. He would get jammed but fight it off to right scoring Daza to make it 3-1 and leaving the bases loaded. Charlie Blackmon would allow Hampson to show off that speed again as he would hit a roller to the shortstop in the shift which left the only play at 2nd where Seager threw out his counterpart Story to get the 2nd out of the inning. This would end the night for Dustin May with a 3-2 score. Victor Gonzalez would come in and McMahon would ground out to end the threat with runners on the corners.

Four Rockies relievers would combine to complete the final 4 innings of work. They would combine to give up 5 hits and 1 run (a Zach McKinstry home run in the 8th). Which would put us at the final score of 4-2. They would strike out 5, but also walk 3, continuing a concerning trend for the entire Rockies pitching staff. They are dead-last in WHIP (1.57) and walks allowed (61).

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It would take five Dodgers relievers to finish the last 5 innings of work for them. Their quintet would combine for 5 shutout innings, 2 hits, 2 BBs, and 6 strikeouts. That put the Rockies at 12 strikeouts for the game when you factor in the 6 Dustin May racked up in 4.1 innings of work. This against just 8 for the Dodgers hitters. The Dodgers pitchers also only gave up 2 walks to the Rockies 5 total walks issued. This is going to be a very long year for Rockies fans if this trend continues. As the Rockies have now scored 2 runs in their last 30 innings of play. This may end up being the worst Rockies offense in history, if the pitchers can’t hold their own, they have no chance at even a mildly successful season.

Unless you count tanking for the first overall pick in next years draft as a success?

Up Next:

@ Los Angeles Dodgers Thursday, April 15 at 8:10 PM MST

Where to Watch:

Colorado Market: AT&T SportsNet

Dodgers Market: SportsNet Los Angeles