Colorado Rockies Fade Late, Lose 7-6

Apr 21, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies relief pitcher Boone Logan (48) in the dugout after being pulled in the eighth inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. The Padres defeated the Rockies 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies had a 5-2 lead after six innings Tuesday night at Coors Field, but the bullpen couldn’t hang on and the club dropped their fifth straight game, 7-6, to the San Diego Padres.

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Well, the losing streak continues. Despite scoring five runs off Padres starter Brandon Morrow, and holding a 5-2 lead heading to the seventh inning, the Colorado Rockies faded behind poor bullpen work and lost 7-6 at Coors Field Tuesday night.

The Rockies are now 7-7 on the young season, mired with a five-game losing streak (including three straight at Coors Field), and at best can only guarantee a series split with San Diego with two more games coming up Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.

Tyler Matzek started for the Rockies and pitched admirably, though as has been the case with Rockies pitchers lately, failed to go deep into the game. He tossed five innings, allowing just two runs on four hits, but he also walked six batters while only striking out three.

Clint Barmes struck first for the Padres with a solo home run off Matzek in the third inning, followed by a Matt Kemp RBI single to put the Friars up 2-0.

The Rockies got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth, when Nick Hundley tripled to right field to drive in Justin Morneau, and then Hundley scored on an RBI groundout from DJ LeMahieu to knot up the game at two after four frames.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Rockies got three more off Morrow, lit up again by another triple. This time it was Charlie Blackmon, who drove in Matzek and Rafael Ynoa with a triple to right center field. Blackmon then scored on a sacrifice fly by Troy Tulowitzki.

Up 5-2 in the seventh, the game got interesting. Brooks Brown, who had thrown a scoreless sixth in relief of Matzek and got two outs in the seventh, lost his way against Wil Myers and allowed an RBI double to make the game 5-3.

On came Rafael Betancourt in relief of Brown. After getting out of the inning with no more harm done, Betancourt started the eighth allowing a hit to Will Middlebrooks, and was lifted for Boone Logan.

Logan hit Yonder Alonso with a pitch, and then allowed singles to Yangervis Solarte and Myers, and a double to Derek Norris, to make the game 7-5 after eight innings.

After good relief work by the Padres’ Brandon Maurer and Joaquin Benoit, Craig Kimbrel came on in the ninth to close the Rockies out.

Nick Hundley made things interesting, hitting a solo home run to lead off the inning and close the gap to 7-6, but that was all the Rockies had in them as Kimbrel retired the next three hitters in order.

Logan (0-1) took the loss in relief, while Maurer (1-0) picked up his first win in relief after tossing a scoreless seventh inning.

Hundley led the Rockies, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Blackmon added a 1-for-4 way with two RBIs, as well.

The Rox and Friars play again tomorrow evening in Coors Field, before finishing the series Thursday afternoon. The Rockies will then host the San Francisco Giants over the weekend before going on the road again next week.

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