Phoenix – At 7:40 Saturday evening, as the Rockies and Diamondbacks took the field, it was 110 degrees outside Chase Field. Earlier in the day, newspapers and TV stations warned local residents about the dangers of heatstroke.
But it was the visiting Rockies who wilted, their chances of staying in the National League West race on the verge of evaporating into the desert air.
They lost 4-3 when Luis Gonzalez blasted a solo homer off Jose Mesa to open the eighth inning. It was the Rockies’ 11th defeat in their past 12 games and their fifth straight loss to Arizona.
“It’s been a hard two weeks, because it’s not fun losing, especially when I’m scuffling a bit,” said all-star left fielder Matt Holliday, 0-for-13 in his past three games. “But this is a time when you have to persevere. I think that will show whether or not we are a good team or if we have character or not.”
Asked if the Rockies’ confidence has been shaken by their July meltdown, Holliday answered, “Well, we’re going to get a chance to overcome anything that’s been shaken. We’ve done about as bad as we could do on this road trip. Now we have to find a way to turn it around.”
The things that made the Rockies look like a contender a month ago – timely hits and a solid bullpen – are nowhere to be found. The Rockies had just one hit after the third inning. Mesa, nearly untouchable from April through June, has become vulnerable and his ERA has ballooned to 3.60.
Mesa’s big mistake was serving up a softball to Gonzalez, who drove it 416 feet into the seats in right field for his eighth homer of the year.
“When he keeps the ball down, he’s tough,” Gonzalez said. “But he left that one up and I got good wood on it.”
Heroes have been plentiful for the Diamondbacks, who won for the seventh time in nine games to move into a second-place tie with San Diego, a half-game behind San Francisco in the NL West.
Heroes have been missing in action for the Rockies, who fell six games under .500 and five games behind the Giants. Ryan Shealy, a recent call-up from Triple-A Colorado Springs, had his chance to play superhero in the seventh, but he failed. With two out, Yorvit Torrealba on second and Choo Freeman on first, Shealy struck out with the bat resting on his shoulder.
It was symbolic of the Rockies’ continuing struggle to drive in runs. In a 6-2 loss to the Diamondbacks on Friday night, the Rockies were 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position. They were 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position Saturday night.
Garrett Atkins drove in Clint Barmes with a two-run homer in the first inning to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead.
It didn’t last long. The Diamondbacks tied the game in the second when Chad Tracy banged his 14th homer of the season, a turbocharged solo shot off Rockies starter Josh Fogg that traveled 412 feet. Then Johnny Estrada followed with a single and came around to score on Carlos Quentin’s double.
The Rockies took a 3-2 lead in the third when Jamey Carroll hit his fourth homer of the season – a solo shot to left. But the Diamondbacks tied the game in the fourth on a solo homer by Quentin.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
