“Almost” might be the cruelest word in sports.
And the Rockies’ victory that slipped down the third-base line in the eighth inning Sunday afternoon at Coors Field was cruel indeed, the kind of loss that sits in the gut doing somersaults.
“This stings, they all sting,” Matt Holliday said after the Rockies’ 8-7 loss to the Chicago Cubs. “But today we let one get away, we lost it late. As a group we have to focus day to day. There’s no time to let this linger.”
Not with the Arizona Diamondbacks, third in the National League West, coming to town for a four-game series beginning tonight. Not with 45 games left in the season. And not with a playoff berth – via an NL West title or the wild card – hinging on the Rockies’ ability, or inability, to put games such as Sunday’s in the win column.
“We had some opportunities but didn’t take advantage,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s a tough game to swallow. We won the series. It would have been nice to finish it off.”
After taking the first two games from the Cubs, the Rockies blew a chance to sweep the Cubs at home for the first time since 1997.
Chicago’s victory seemed improbable considering that Cubs pitchers issued 10 walks (eight by rookie starter Carlos Marmol) and Rockies third baseman Garrett Atkins launched a 433-foot grand slam in the third for a 5-4 lead.
Holliday singled home Todd Helton in the sixth for a 7-4 lead. Given that Colorado’s bullpen had surrendered just a single run in its past eight home games, the Rockies’ third straight win seemed a solid bet.
But the Rockies’ good fortune evaporated in the eighth.
With one out in the inning, Hurdle almost called for 40-year-old Jose Mesa to replace Tom Martin. Instead, he went with nearly invincible rookie reliever Manuel Corpas. Considering Corpas had tossed 9 2/3 scoreless innings over his last nine appearances, Hurdle felt confident going with the rookie.
With a multitude of fans turning Coors Field into Wrigley Field West with chants of “Let’s Go, Cubbies,” pinch-hitter Ryan Theriot slashed a bases-loaded double just inside third base.
The fact that Theriot’s clutch hit came off Corpas, 23, added to Colorado’s frustration. Corpas threw a decent sinker, but Theriot smashed the low ball into left field, where it rattled around as three Chicago runs came home.
“(Corpas) hasn’t given up anything,” Hurdle said. “I went with him and it didn’t work out. I went with some decisions today that didn’t work out.”
From the Rockies’ point of view, if Theriot’s hit goes a foot or two to the right, Atkins could have turned an inning-ending double play.
“It was pretty close. It seemed like it was on the line the whole time,” Atkins said. “It just got by me by a little bit.”
The Rockies’ final chance to win the game, or extend it into extra innings, died in the ninth when Chicago closer Ryan Dempster struck out Brad Hawpe with Holliday on first.
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-820-5459 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
