The Colorado Rockies matched the Cleveland Guardians’ hit total with seven, but still fell 4-3 on Saturday night at Coors Field. It was a brutal night for the home team, going 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and leaving five runners stranded on base, while their lineup collectively struck out nine times. The difference in the game came down to a single swing, a three-run homer from Jo Adell, outweighing the Rockies’ two solo shots from Connor Norby and Mikey Moniak. This frustrating loss marked the Rockies’ fifth in a row overall and their eighth straight defeat at home.
Hughes Battles but the Fourth Inning Was a Killer
Rockies starting pitcher Gabriel Hughes looked sharp early, cruising through the first three innings on just 32 pitches. He gave up only one infield single, forced four ground outs, and racked up one strikeout, even leading off the second by fanning Adell. He was effective, throwing strikes and staying ahead of hitters. But that all changed in the fourth. As Hughes faced the Guardians’ lineup for the second time, he issued a five-pitch walk to Chase DeLauter. José Ramírez followed with a single, setting the stage for Adell’s monster 450-foot, three-run homer to left field, putting Cleveland up 3-0. Hughes managed to escape further damage in the inning despite another walk and single, then bounced back in the fifth, retiring the Guardians in order. He left the game after five innings with Cleveland leading 3-2, having allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts. It was a tough outing for Hughes, who is now 0-6 in nine appearances, unable to secure a win on his 25th birthday. Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer acknowledged the effort, saying, “I thought he battled. I thought he came out of the chute very efficient. Overall, it was just one inning, one bad inning. Steps forward for sure for Gabe. Attack right out of the zone.”
Left ‘Em Loaded and Couldn’t Close
The Rockies offense just couldn’t capitalize when it mattered. They had a golden opportunity in the first inning when Jake McCarthy singled to lead off the game and Cole Carrigg walked, putting runners on first and second. But Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee shut them down, striking out TJ Rumfield and getting Kyle Karros to ground out, ending the threat with nothing to show for it. Manager Schaeffer pointed to that, saying, “You play nine innings for a reason. The first inning is just as important as the ninth inning in terms of runs scoring. We made Bibee work tonight in the first inning, but nothing to…” They did manage to get on the board in the fourth when Willi Castro hit a two-out single, and Troy Johnston followed with an RBI double, cutting the Guardians’ lead to 3-1. Schaeffer praised Johnston, noting, “Troy’s been doing it all year. He hit two balls hard tonight. Big RBI. He always takes good at-bats. You can always trust Troy.” But those glimmers of offense weren’t enough to overcome the earlier missed chances and the Guardians’ key long ball. The two solo homers just felt like not enough for a team desperate for a win.
It’s a rough stretch when you’re hitting the ball, but it’s not translating to runs and you’re stuck in a five-game slide. That 0-for-4 with RISP is just brutal, truly the story of this game. You gotta find a way to break this losing streak, especially at home, where it’s now eight straight L’s.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply