Rockies loss littered with missed opportunities
DENVER -- The Rockies' 3-2 loss to the Angels on Wednesday night provided another example of this season's maddeningly consistent disappointment.
The game was delayed 2 hours and 7 minutes by rain and the anticipation of rain -- and why not? The Rockies have sat through 20 hours, 18 minutes of rain delays, not counting the four games that were postponed. And the game itself was a bummer for the club.
Sometimes, the Rockies' offense produces, but it's negated by the pitching. But Wednesday was one of several instances when the Rockies received solid starting pitching, as Chris Rusin held the Angels to two runs -- on massive Mike Trout home runs in the first and sixth -- in six solid innings. But the Rockies went 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
Video: LAA@COL: Weiss discusses Rusin's outing, Tulowitzki
Of course, rough offensive nights happen. But when teams are struggling like the Rockies, who had dropped nine of their last 11, the despair can be colorful. Wednesday saw two innings where rally-building strategy backfired -- once because of an ill-timed timeout request.
"We played well but we couldn't get the big hit to take advantage or take a lead," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said.
The Rockies outhit the Angels, 13-9, with Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez managing three hits apiece. But the bottom of the order didn't drive in a run despite two on and no outs in the second. Goznalez and Arenado led off the fourth with doubles, and Ben Paulsen and Nick Hundley drove them in. However, Brandon Barnes, Rusin and Charlie Blackmon didn't keep the inning going.
Video: LAA@COL: Hundley brings home Arenado with a single
Paulsen popped out with two out to end the fifth, and grounded out to end the seventh and ninth, with two on each time.
Strange turns snuffed out possible rallies in the sixth and eighth.
Hundley doubled off Angels starter Matt Shoemaker to open the sixth. Barnes, in the eighth position, bunted Hundley to third but pinch-hitter Wilin Rosario popped out in the infield. Angels manager Mike Scioscia went to lefty reliever Cesar Ramos, who forced Blackmon to line to the shortstop.
Hundley singled to open the eighth and Barnes bunted again. Problem was Hundley's foot was on first and he wasn't even facing the action.
Video: LAA@COL: Iannetta forces out Hundley at second
"He was trying to call time -- he had lost his thumb guard," Weiss said.
Some good fortune was involved in Troy Tulowitzki's first-inning infield single, which ran his hit streak to 20 games and his on-base streak to 35. But luck didn't smile on him twice on hard-hit balls -- an opposite-way fly to right field in the fifth, and a fly to left-center in the deepest part of the park with one on in the ninth.
"I knew he didn't catch it -- he hit it toward the end of the bat, and he hit it toward the deepest part of the field," Weiss said.