Colorado Rockies’ Bats, Bullpen Falter vs Angels

May 12, 2015; Anaheim, CA, USA; Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher C.J. Wilson (33) pitches against the Colorado Rockies during the second inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports

The Colorado Rockies and starting pitcher Kyle Kendrick took on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Tuesday night in game one of a two-game set at Angel Stadium. 

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Kyle Kendrick allowed only two runs in seven innings and didn’t walk a batter, but Angels starter C.J. Wilson matched him frame for frame, and the Halos scored three in the bottom of the eighth off Colorado Rockies’ reliever Rafael Betancourt to win 5-2 Tuesday night in Anaheim.

The Rockies got on the board first in the top of the third, when Troy Tulowitzki hit a sacrifice fly that scored Nick Hundley. Hundley had reached base on a single before moving around to third; the single extended Hundley’s hitting streak to thirteen games.

The Rockies scored again in the fourth inning, when Corey Dickerson doubled off the right field wall to score Justin Morneau, who had also doubled off Angels starter C.J. Wilson in the inning.

The run gave the Rockies and starter Kyle Kendrick a 2-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth at Angel Stadium, in the team’s first interleague game of the season.

After tossing three scoreless innings, Kendrick couldn’t hold the Angels any longer, allowing two runs in the fourth thanks to three hits – all singles – in the inning, and finished the frame with a 2-2 tie.

Neither team would score much for a few innings, though the Rockies ran themselves out of a potential scoring opportunity in the seventh when DJ LeMahieu was picked off and thrown out to end the inning with Charlie Blackmon standing at the plate.

Kendrick got through the bottom of the seventh with the score still tied at 2, and he was finished for the day. He allowed eight hits and no walks in his seven innings of work, striking out five Angels on 91 pitches (63 strikes).

Rafael Betancourt came on for Kendrick to throw the eighth in the tie game, and couldn’t hold the flood gates, allowing a single – and stolen base – to Albert Pujols before walking Erick Aybar, allowing a single to Johnny Giavotella, and then a double to Matt Joyce.

When it was all said and done, the Angels had broken the game open in the bottom of the eighth, and took a 5-2 lead into the ninth inning for closer – and former Rockie – Huston Street.

Street threw a perfect ninth inning to slam the door.

The Rockies’ offense never figured out Wilson, who tossed eight innings and allowed just five hits and a walk, while striking out six batters, across 111 pitches (70 strikes). Interestingly, two lefties – Morneau and Dickerson – combined for four of the hits off Wilson, and the only two extra base hits in the game for the Rockies.

The loss drops the Rockies to 11-18. They have now lost ten in a row.

The Rockies and Angels will again face off Wednesday night at Angel Stadium, before the Rockies drive about an hour up Interstate 5 to Dodger Stadium to take on the boys in blue for four games over the weekend.