San Diego – For dramatic purposes, it was hard not to fall in lust with Wednesday’s day-night singleheader.
There were plenty of surprises – walked, Ryan Klesko went retro with two homers and the Rockies’ bullpen avoided a face plant in their longest assignment.
A game of unlikely events, however, will be remembered for the worst of firsts.
Twenty-year-old Marcos Carvajal, the Rockies’ charming rookie, was finally clobbered by reality four weeks into his dream season.
The Rockies’ fourth reliever, Carvajal surrendered his first major-league run on a two-out single to Miguel Ojeda in the 12th inning as seven-up became eight-down. Final score: San Diego Padres 8, Rockies 7.
The loss was the Rockies eighth straight, tying a season nadir, and their 13th in 14 road games.
“It would be different if we were making the same mistakes over and over again,” first baseman said. “But this is, um, tough.”
If the losses were only repetitive, they would be more tolerable. Instead, they have become maddening. The Rockies have dropped four straight by one run, a tease that makes the ache of being the National League’s worst a wasp sting.
“It’s getting pretty draining,” said starter , guilty of an ill-timed, four-run hiccup in the sixth inning. “It’s always something everyday where we do just enough to lose.”
The Rockies (6-19) stagger into Miami on Friday for a three-game series with the stout Marlins, the residue of their fourth sweep chilling. During this winless roadie, they have been beaten by, in order, Hee-Seop Choi, Jason Repko, Adam Hyzdu, Damian Jackson and Ojeda. Not one is an everyday player and two – Repko and Hyzdu – are career minor-leaguers.
Now for the most frightening fact: The Rockies’ winning percentage (.240) has dipped below the 1962 New York Mets, baseball’s benchmark for ineptitude with a 40-120 record.
“Nobody in the league is going to feel sorry for us,” manager Clint Hurdle said.
“Everyone, to a man, has fallen short. Myself, the coaches, all of us.”
What made this setback different is that fundamental breakdowns were sandwiched by rays of hope. After the most disappointing April of his career, Helton remained hot, clubbing his third home run in the fifth inning.
Reserves Dustan Mohr and second baseman also went deep. And before feeling the horns of defeat, as Hurdle put it, Carvajal struck out Phil Nevin and Brian Giles with a three-pitch arsenal.
“I was trying to mix it up with Ojeda,” said Carvajal, who was animated on the mound, pointing at home plate after big pitches. “I just left a ball right over the plate.”
Carvajal’s mistake spawned a celebratory hopping party at first base for Ojeda, who said he got “a pitch that was up that I could hit.”
With each Rockies’ loss there are critical lapses that provide eloquent explanation.
Carvajal had company Wednesday. A forgettable sixth inning breathed life into the Padres as Jennings turned a two-run lead against ace Jake Peavy into a two-run deficit. Two walks were the centerpiece of the collapse.
“He threw a shoe,” Hurdle said.
In the 10th, , hitting .348, lofted a popup into shallow right field, failing to move Helton after a leadoff double.
“No one is giving up, I don’t sense that at all,” rookie said. “We come here everyday expecting it to turn around.”
Staff writer Troy Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
