Carrigg can't quite make diving grab as gutsy bullpen effort comes up short

ATLANTA – Saturday afternoon turned from a possible narrow Rockies victory to a 2-1 loss to the Braves on center fielder Cole Carrigg’s unsuccessful eighth-inning dive and a questionable throw from left fielder Jordan Beck in the aftermath.

Long before play started, however, Carrigg discussed the previous night’s 6-4 loss in a way that proved prophetic.

“There were some things [Friday] night that probably could have changed the game,” Carrigg said pregame. “I think we were exactly where we wanted to be. The game could have definitely played out differently.”

The Rockies used a standout bullpen performance and Willi Castro’s bases-loaded sixth-inning RBI single to carry a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the eighth on Saturday.

Jaden Hill, who struck out Lane Thomas looking with runners at second and third to end the seventh, had two outs in the eighth when Matt Olson and Mauricio Dubón each singled. Michael Harris II lined a pitch to left-center field. Carrigg, an aggressive outfielder, dove slightly late and the ball ticked off the edge of his glove, rolling behind him.

Beck picked up the ball shy of the warning track and fired to second base, and second baseman Connor Norby’s tag was just too late for Harris’ slide.

However, Dubón – running through third-base coach Tommy Watkins’ stop sign – was nowhere near the plate. As Beck was throwing to second, Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar was in a cutoff position in shallow left-center and could have relayed to the plate in time for a play on Dubón.

Manager Warren Schaeffer defended Beck’s throw, saying it was a “bang-bang play there at second base, and the second baseman needs to be aware that there’s a runner [coming].” Schaeffer indicated that he didn’t know if Tovar was in position, although he appeared to be in the proper spot on the replay.

After the play, television cameras caught Carrigg making an inappropriate gesture toward heckling fans.

The Rockies had two on with one out in the ninth against Didier Fuentes, but pinch-hitter Zac Veen struck out and Jake McCarthy flied out to right field to end the game.

The game served as an indicator of where the Rockies stand. They often play well enough to keep games tight, but come up short at key moments, especially against teams like the National League East-leading Braves.

The opportunity was there for a victory that could have highlighted a bullpen that has quietly become solid. Scheduled starter Ryan Feltner was scratched due to an illness, but righty Zach Agnos went a solid 2 2/3 innings. Righty Nick Frasso forced a Dubón fly ball to strand the bases loaded in the third, then added a spotless fourth. Brennan Bernadino was perfect in the fifth.

Jimmy Herget had a smooth sixth but a hairy seventh. Herget forced a Mike Yastrzemski double-play grounder with two on, and Hill’s strikeout of Thomas ended that threat. Hill had not yielded a baserunner in three games since returning from a right shoulder injury before he was unable to hand closer Jordan Romano a lead Saturday.

For all the rebuilding Rockies’ struggles in various areas, the bullpen has made strides.

“Having to do that today, I thought that [the relievers] were exceptional,” Schaeffer said. “Every guy left it all out there. [Agnos] was great. Behind him, Frasso was really good. [Bernardino], clean inning. Jimmy really pitched well today.

“Jaden, same thing. Just an 0-2 pitch to Harris, game on the line, left the slider up. But Jaden has been great, giving it his all. I was trying to keep Romano for the ninth because he was our last guy, but he came in and did a job.”