Cincinnati – Nothing prepares you for nothing. That empty feeling, the inconsolable ache of having a victory slip through your fingers.
If the Rockies don’t make the playoffs, if they don’t post their first winning record in five years, the drama that unfolded Saturday night against the Cincinnati Reds will be remembered with a flinch.
After their first timely hit in two days, after their setup men guarded a lead, closer Brian Fuentes dissolved in the ninth, burdening the Rockies with their sixth consecutive loss, a 3-2 defeat like no other this season.
“I have nothing to say,” said Fuentes, the Rockies free-falling out of contention.
His response was fitting for an ending that defied explanation and left the Rockies stuck in last place in the National League West, two games under .500 for the first time since June 11.
Fuentes entered with confidence gained from a crisp all-star performance. That helped wash away the taste of last Saturday’s collapse when he suffered the worst outing of his career. Fuentes struck out leadoff hitter Scott Hatteberg on Saturday, offering no hint of the danger lurking.
He eventually would reach two strikes on the next five hitters, retiring only one. Brandon Phillips walked and, after striking out Royce Clayton, Fuentes hit Jason LaRue with a fastball on the hand and plunked Edwin Encarnacion on the foot with a slider.
So what had begun 2 hours and 48 minutes earlier had all quite suddenly come to this: Fuentes against rookie outfielder Chris Denorfia. When the inning began, Denorfia sat in the dugout and mentally went through the lineup, concluding he would come up with bases loaded.
Fuentes evened the count at 2-2. Rockies shortstop Clint Barmes crept forward two steps to give himself a chance to nail the speedy Denorfia at first base. Denorfia obliged, pounding a ball into the ground, the high-hopper leaving Barmes with only one play – first base or bust. The ball ricocheted awkwardly off his glove, allowing Dewayne Wise to score from second base with the winning run.
Afterward, Barmes stood at his locker numb with disbelief.
“That’s a play I have made all season,” said Barmes, taking responsibility, though it was ruled a hit. “I got an in-between hop and couldn’t come up with it. I don’t know what else to say.”
Added Denorfia, who turned 26 on Saturday, “Hey, for a little luck to be on your side is always a good thing.”
This loss stung more because of what proceeded the ninth inning. With the Rockies 1-for-their-last-20 with runners in scoring position, Jorge Piedra delivered a two-run double in the eighth inning.
That stood to make a winner of Aaron Cook. With 280 members from his local church congregation in attendance, Cook surrendered one run in what Reds manager Jerry Narron called “one of the best games we have had pitched against us all year.”
When Tom Martin and Jose Mesa escaped the eighth unscathed, everything had fallen into place for a Rockies’ win. But Fuentes quietly lost his invulnerability a few weeks ago. He has been tagged for runs in seven of his past 13 appearances. But even he never could have predicted this.
“You like to think we have the answers to everything,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “But sometimes in this game you just don’t.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5457 or trenck@denverpost.com.
