Colorado Rockies morning after: Lack of clutch hitting, bullpen leads to a sweep

CINCINNATI- In the first two games of the three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds, the Colorado Rockies had poor starting pitching.

But on Sunday, it was the lack of clutch hitting and the Rockies bullpen.

On Sunday, the Rockies walked six times, including three from C.J. Cron, who batted seventh for the first time since 2019 since he has been scuffling lately. With those six walks, they also had six hits and two hit batsmen. But the Rockies stranded 12 baserunners went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They only ended up scoring two runs.

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Antonio Senzatela had an ERA of 3.03 in his previous five starts. While that still would have been elevated after six innings on Sunday since he allowed three runs in that span. But he allowed the first two hitters, Kyle Farmer and pinch-hitter Shogo Akiyama, to get on base via a hit-by-pitch and a double to right field.

Carlos Estevez came on in relief and he walked the leadoff man, Jonathan India, and Jesse Winker, who has been one of the hottest hitters in the NL this year, had the backbreaker. He had a seeing-eye double to center fielder that scored two runs. Two batters later, Tyler Naquin had a sac fly to make it 6-2 Reds, which is where the scoring would stand.

The two runs that were plated by Winker were tagged on to Senzatela’s outing, meaning he went 6+ innings and he allowed five earned runs.

Winker’s double had an expected batting average of .050 considering the location it was hit, the launch angle, and the exit velocity. You can check out the video of that below.

Postgame, manager Bud Black said that he thought Senzatela did a “fine job” keeping the Rockies in the game (as it was 3-2 Reds when he left the game) and he thought his stuff was “good.” Senzatela said that he felt “really good” during the start.

With his pitches, Bud Black said that he thought Senzatela’s changeup was good and got better as the game went along and Senzatela said that he thought his fastball command was good. However, Senzatela said that he thought his slider wasn’t as effective as he hung too many of them.

As a result of losing on Sunday, the Rockies went 1-5 on the road trip and they were swept by Cincinnati for the first time since July 2012. The Rockies were last swept by the Reds in Cincinnati in July 2006, when the Rockies were swept in a four-game series by the Reds.

The Rockies come home to finish their stretch of playing 13 consecutive games by facing the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers. Austin Gomber will start the three-game series with San Diego at 6:40 PM M.T. when he will oppose Dinelson Lamet.