SAN FRANCISCO -- Just when the Rockies seemed to be ready to flip their 2021 script on Sunday afternoon, it was as if they remembered where they were -- and lost to the Giants, 5-2, at Oracle Park.
Two key seventh-inning plays -- Elias Díaz being thrown out at the plate to end a rally, and a costly miscommunication between left fielder Connor Joe and center fielder Garrett Hampson -- ended chances of a comeback from an early deficit.
Instead of a second straight competitive road trip -- they were 4-6 against the Dodgers, Angels and Padres -- the Rockies went 1-5 against the two West leaders, the Astros in the American League and the Giants in the National. The road record dropped to 14-45 and left the Rockies threatening club history for futility away from Coors Field. The 2014 team owns the worst record at 21-60.
“We've just had a very tough time scoring runs, and you know we're finding some things out about our position players, a lot of our lesser service-time guys -- the home-road splits that we're looking at,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “And we’ve got to do better, no doubt about that.”
The Rockies scored two runs in the seventh with two-out, pinch-hit RBI singles from Díaz and Charlie Blackmon. Connor Joe provided one more single, off Dominic Leone. But Díaz -- sent home from second by third-base coach Stu Cole -- came nowhere close to beating Giants right fielder LaMonte Wade Jr.’s throw.
“Elias is going on contact, and they’ve got to execute a great play,” Black said. “With two outs, you take a chance here. Stu sent Elias. This kid, Wade, threw an absolute strike to home.
“If you hold him, then you’ve got to get another base hit off Leone.”
The Giants’ seventh started with Kris Bryant’s seemingly harmless fly to left-center. But Joe didn’t hear or see Hampson call and signal -- with his right hand raised -- for the ball. The two bumped, and Joe dropped the ball for an error that began a two-run inning.
Black said Joe, taking into account the wind at Oracle Park, didn’t want to take his eye off the ball. And Hampson has to be louder.
“Connor probably didn’t realize, maybe lack of experience here at Oracle, that the ball seems to drift back toward the gap,” Black said. “It’s probably now a learning experience for Connor. You’ve got to peek to see where the center fielder is.
“Hampy, in his place as a center fielder with this crowd, he’s got to yell, ‘I’ve got it.’ He might not have been as vocal as he needed. That's something we'll talk to Hampy about, especially in ballparks that have crowd involvement.”
The road trip ended the way it began, with right-hander Jon Gray beginning a game effectively, then running into trouble and leaving after 4 1/3 innings. On Monday, he struck out nine but absorbed a 5-0 loss at Houston. Sunday, he forced two double-play grounders and held the Giants scoreless through four innings.
But the solid beginning dissipated amid four hits and a walk in a fifth inning that featured Curt Casali’s soft RBI single, and Tommy La Stella’s two-run double on an 0-2 pitch. While some of the hits were soft ones, the walk -- to Giants starting pitcher Alex Wood, who is 0-for-34 this season -- was the biggest problem.
“That’s probably the only beef I had with myself all game,” Gray said. “That’s the only thing I can really get mad about.There were a lot of very not-hard-hit balls that found a lot of holes. Same thing with the last game, too. That’s one of those stretches I’ve got to wear. But it’s going to end, so stay positive.”