Colorado Rockies morning after: Short memory needed in Chicago

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are a deep and talented team. The Colorado Rockies knew that going into Monday’s Game 163 at Dodger Stadium. Mistakes will kill you against a team like that. The Rockies knew that as well. However, it still happened.

A pair of mistakes in a pivotal fourth inning by the Colorado Rockies battery made all of the difference between a National League West title (and resting until Thursday) and heading to Chicago for a Wild Card matchup at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.

A passed ball by Tony Wolters put Max Muncy on base after he had struck out against German Marquez to lead off the fourth inning. The slip-up was enough to extend the inning and Cody Bellinger was happy to take advantage of it, blasting a 1-0 pitch over the right-center wall to give the Dodgers a 2-0 lead.

Muncy would add a two-run homer and pitcher Walker Buehler would tack on an RBI single to move the Los Angeles lead to 5-0. That would be more than enough with Buehler also hurting the Rockies on the mound, keeping them off-balance and hitless until Charlie Blackmon poked a single in the sixth inning.

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That was one of just four hits the Rockies would muster on the day, and two of those came from Blackmon. However, the last two the Rockies are hopeful will set the tone for Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.

Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story hit back-to-back solo homers off Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen in the ninth to give the Rockies a brief lift and erase the goose egg from the scoreboard. Those would account for Colorado’s only runs … but they were big runs from a psychological perspective.

"“I think those (homers) were big. We showed we weren’t just going to lay down right there,” Story told Rox Pile and other media members after the game. “Scratched a couple of runs across and have good at-bats and hopefully ride that into tomorrow.”"

Colorado manager Bud Black knows his team is resilient. It has been all season and wouldn’t be in the position it is now if it had rolled over and given up the last time they left Los Angeles after a painful three-game sweep that seemed to put their season in peril. Now, he’s relying on a team-wide short memory for a long flight from SoCal to the Midwest.

"“Our guys will put it in the rearview for sure,” Black told Rox Pile and other media members. “I expect this group to bounce back tomorrow. It’s going to be a great environment tomorrow at Wrigley. This team enjoys, I think, playing on the big stage. We’ll see tomorrow. That’s why you play. We’ll find out. Our guys are excited.”"

As disappointing as Monday was, the season, in fact, isn’t over. It will be, however, on Tuesday night if Colorado’s bats struggle the way they did at Chavez Ravine.

"“You have to put it behind you,” Arenado said after the loss. “You have to move on. The playoffs start tomorrow. We’re in it.”"

Can the energy brought by Arenado and Story with the late long balls carry over across two time zones? For Colorado’s sake, let’s hope so.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are a deep and talented team. The Colorado Rockies knew that going into Monday’s Game 163 at Dodger Stadium. Mistakes will kill you against a team like that. The Rockies knew that as well. However, it still happened.

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