Brian Fuentes flew Sunday night to Pittsburgh to participate in the All-Star Game on Tuesday. Before departing, the Rockies’ closer vowed he wouldn’t be carrying leftover baggage from Saturday’s ninth-inning meltdown against Arizona.
“It was just one bad game,” Fuentes said Sunday as the Rockies lost 8-5 to the Diamondbacks at Coors Field. “Everybody is going to take their lumps eventually and last night I got mine. But it’s gone. Next time I come out, I’m going to be the same guy, just have better stuff.”
Fuentes gave up a career-high six runs on six hits in one-third of an inning Saturday, including a grand slam by Chad Tracy, and saw his ERA jump from 2.36 to 3.89. He did not make himself available to the media after Saturday’s game.
Almost unhittable early in the season, Fuentes has been vulnerable lately. In his past 13 games, opponents are hitting .304 (17-for-56) against Fuentes, with 12 runs allowed (four home runs).
Asked if he was happy about the job he’s been doing recently, Fuentes said, “Yeah, for the most part. Obviously last night I gave up some and (Wednesday) night I gave up a home run, but that’s just one run. But I’ve been doing my job.”
Bullpen gets roughed up
In the final two games of the series against the Diamondbacks, the Rockies’ bullpen allowed 11 runs (10 earned) in just 3 2/3 innings. In the wake of his bullpen’s recent meltdowns, manager Clint Hurdle said the Rockies are looking to Triple-A Colorado Springs for possible solutions.
Right-hander Miguel Asencio, who had some good outings during spring training while flashing an effective changeup and slider, has been moved into the Sky Sox bullpen.
“We moved Asencio, basically to see how he performs there, just to give us an option,” Hurdle said.
Other possible candidates for promotion include right-handers Nate Field and Zach McClellan and lefty Steve Colyer.
Hurdle also reiterated the Rockies would shop cautiously as the July 31 trading deadline nears.
“Everybody is looking for bullpen help and looking for a big bat,” he said. “We are going to profile for people that are going to fit our character mold.”
Hurdle also said he’s going to give his current relievers every opportunity to bounce back.
“We will keep our eyes on things as we move forward,” he said. “But we believe we have the people in the right roles and we will give them opportunities to perform.”
Hit, miss for Holliday
In his final game before traveling to the All-Star Game, left fielder Matt Holliday had a roller-coaster performance. He went 2-for-3 with a walk. His run-scoring double in the sixth was his 29th double of the season, the fifth-most by a Rockie at the all-star break.
Holliday also badly misplayed a sacrifice fly off the bat of the Diamondbacks’ Conor Jackson in the seventh inning and was charged with an error.
Footnotes
The Rockies were swept at home for just the second time this season. The other time came June 2-4 when Florida took three straight. … Second baseman Jamey Carroll had a rough day Sunday. His hitting streak ended at eight games when he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He enters the all-star break hitting .324. … Todd Helton went 1-for-3 with an RBI double. He enters the break batting .296. Last year the veteran first baseman was hitting .288 at the break.
Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
Rockies recap
Clint Barmes turned on an inside fastball from Arizona starter Juan Cruz and knocked it over the left-field fence at Coors Field on Sunday for his fourth homer this season.
“I barreled it like I was doing last year,” said Barmes, whose two-run, fifth-inning blast was his first homer in 98 at-bats. “I’ve been battling for the last couple of weeks to get that feeling right and being consistent. I’ll just try to keep that feeling.”
Although he is hitting just .208 at the all-star break, Barmes ranks fourth among the Rockies with 44 RBIs.
BRRRRRR: Sunday’s game-time temperature was 59 degrees, the lowest for a July game in Denver. The previous low in July was 62 degrees, four times at Coors Field.
ROAD WARRIORS: When the Rockies begin a 10-game, 11-day trip Thursday in Cincinnati, they can be bolstered by their 22-21 road record. It’s the Rockies’ best record through the first 43 road games of a season.
