McMahon nearly hits for the cycle in Rockies' loss

May 30th, 2023

PHOENIX -- Just about everything went right for and the Rockies on Monday.

McMahon homered for the fourth straight contest, fashioned his second career four-hit game and finished a double shy of a cycle. In the end, though, he and the Rockies could have used a little more in a 7-5 loss at Chase Field.

“I'm sure Mac will tell you he's seeing the ball great,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “That’s a big thing that always resonates with me about players who are getting their hits.

“You see his takes, you see his swing and he’s not fouling balls back. He’s putting them in play with authority.”

Of McMahon’s missing accomplishments Monday, the cycle -- something Rockies players have done nine times at Coors Field but never on the road -- was the least of things on his mind.

“You know it’s there,” McMahon said, managing a smile. “But if it comes up and it’s a situation where you need to get to third, you’re not going to pull up.

“You just keep playing.”

There was no time to relax. 

The Rockies took a 4-0 lead -- with McMahon driving a 445-foot homer to center in the first and an RBI single in the second. But righty Karl Kauffmann, who’s next pitches will be at Triple-A Albuquerque, lasted four innings and yielded seven runs on nine hits and two walks. Righty Dinelson Lamet -- who struggled early in relief, went to the 15-day injured list and found his form as a starter during his injury rehab assignment -- will be activated to pitch Wednesday night against the D-backs.

The Rockies missed scoring opportunities with two popups and one flyout with McMahon on third -- courtesy of his RBI triple off D-backs starter Ryne Nelson -- in the fifth. Also, Harold Castro struck out against nasty D-backs setup man Drey Jameson with the bases loaded in the seventh, and slumping Kris Bryant, who is 3-for-31 since May 19, lined out softly to end the eighth with two on.

McMahon also drove in three runs on the heels of a five-RBI performance in Sunday afternoon’s 11-10 home victory over the Mets. In his last four games, or since he became comfortable with changes based on information provided by coaches, McMahon is 10-for-17 with four homers and 11 RBIs. His .253 batting average is 33 points higher than before this run.

It was enough that McMahon could look at the few things that didn’t go right. There was little to say about the ninth-inning caught-looking strikeout from Jameson. 

“He made an absolutely nasty pitch,” McMahon said.

McMahon lamented the confusing baserunning reads that led to him being thrown out at second to end the second inning. The Rockies scored three in the frame but may have had a chance for more with runners at second and third.

“I picked my head up a little too early coming around first base, almost missed the bag,” he said. “I slowed down. Then when I looked back up, I thought [left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.] was throwing to second, then all of a sudden, he was going to third.

“I tried to hurry and scoot to second to have two runners in scoring position. It wasn’t the best decision.”

But plenty of good things happened. Reliever Matt Carasiti threw three scoreless innings after relieving Kauffmann, and the Rockies managed 13 hits, tied for third-most in a road game this season.

“If you could do it every single game, you’d never lose,” McMahon said. “We did it early. The Jameson kid did a great job making really good pitches and shutting us down. But we’ll come back tomorrow and try to link at-bats again.”