Rox lose in 13th after 'pen lets lead slip away

Bullpen allows 5 runs after Anderson hands over 3-run lead

June 7th, 2018

CINCINNATI -- Rockies reliever Mike Dunn spoke openly and honestly with reporters following Thursday afternoon's 7-5, 13-inning loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Dunn addressed his poor eighth-inning performance performance, but his words summed up the collective frustration of the Rockies' bullpen as a whole in recent weeks.
"The team battled their butts off and I didn't do my job," Dunn said. "I blew it. Even the strikes I'm throwing aren't hitting the spots. I'm going to have to grind it out and figure out what's going on."
Dunn allowed two of the five earned runs charged to Colorado relievers, which included 's walk-off two-run homer off Chris Rusin in the 13th. The Rockies won the series, but missed their chance to sweep the Reds at Great American Ball Park for the first time since 2009.

Rusin (0-2) took the loss while (2-1) earned the victory for Cincinnati. The Rockies are now 3-2 this season in extra innings.
"A fastball," said Winker of his winning blast off Rusin. "[Joey Votto] getting on to start the inning was huge, obviously. He went fastball away, slider and then I thought he was going to go back to the fastball. I just recognized it and tried to put a good swing on it."
, who has been struggling as much as any Rockies reliever, pitched two scoreless innings of relief on Thursday, getting double plays to end the 10th and 11th.
But the rest of the Rockies' 'pen -- which had an 8.00 ERA in June coming into Thursday's game -- couldn't close the door.
"We're going through a very difficult time with a few guys," Rockies manager Bud Black said. "We're addressing it on a daily basis, returning to a track record of performance. We're digging fundamentally into the deliveries of each guy."
When threw out at the plate to prevent the tying run in the eighth on a 95.8 mph throw, it appeared the Rockies might hang on for the sweep. Gonzalez went 2-for-5 with a double and RBI.

"He's in a good place," Black said. "He's playing a complete game -- great defense as evidenced by that throw."
Rockies starter pitched seven solid innings in which he allowed two runs on five hits, but he was denied his fourth victory.
"That was a very solid outing," said Black. "I thought the changeup was really effective. He commanded the fastball well."

Reds starter allowed three runs (two earned) over five innings. Colorado pounced on in the sixth to increase its lead to 5-2. 's RBI triple and DJ LeMahieu's sac fly would tack two more runs on the board, but that would be the only scoring allowed by the Reds' bullpen in eight innings pitched.
entered the ninth clinging to a 5-4 lead after Dunn loaded the bases and allowed two runs in the inning prior. Davis' wild pitch allowed catcher Curt Casali to score the tying run with two outs to send the game into extras. Davis had three strikeouts in the ninth, but he also threw two wild pitches and hit a batter.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Because of a lost challenge on a play at the plate in the second inning, the Rockies couldn't challenge when Charlie Blackmon was thrown out at second after tagging up at first on 's fly ball in the fifth inning. Replays indicated Blackmon might have slid under 's tag. Gonzalez doubled following the play.

MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY
There were two replay reviews in the first two innings, and both rulings went in the Reds' favor. The more critical of the two was a play at the plate when scored from first on Casali's double in the second inning just ahead of Tony Wolters' swipe tag. After a one-minute and 48-second review, the call on the field would stand, tying the game at 1.

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Not much Arenado does with the glove is a surprise anymore, but the Rockies' third baseman added to his highlight reel on Thursday with a diving stop on 's hard grounder to save a run. Arenado dove, then from his knees threw across the diamond to retire the Reds' shortstop to strand the tying run at second.

UP NEXT
The Rockies begin a three-game homestand on Friday against the D-backs, with right-hander making his 12th start of the season. He did not factor in the decision in his last start on June 2, but he did tie a season high with eight strikeouts. Marquez is 0-3 with a 3.79 ERA in eight career appearances versus the D-backs. Arizona will counter with right-hander Zack Greinke, who is 4-4 with a 3.44 ERA on the season.