Phoenix – The Rockies’ 6-1 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon provided a solid blueprint for road success:
* Begin with excellent pitching. Starter Jeff Francis allowed one run on three hits in eight innings, striking out five and walking none.
* Add timely hitting. Rookie outfielder Jeff Baker hit a leadoff double in the second inning and came around to score, then clubbed a two-run insurance homer in the eighth.
* Execute the fundamentals. While the sloppy Diamondbacks committed a season-high four errors that led to two unearned runs, the Rockies’ fielding was perfect.
Unfortunately for the Rockies, they have strayed from that blueprint too often this season.
Sunday’s road victory, which averted a three-game sweep, was just their fourth in the Rockies’ past 23 games. They have lost 10 of their past 11 road series.
That’s a giant step backward from 2005, when the Rockies gained momentum and confidence late in the season by capturing seven of their last 10 road series. All-star left fielder Matt Holliday doesn’t mince words about the problem.
“You can’t just be an average team and expect to win on the road,” he said. “This year, in the second half, we have been an average team. That’s why we’re not winning, why we’re not in the playoff picture, and in last place in our division.”
Of major-league baseball’s division leaders, only the St. Louis Cardinals have a losing record on the road.
Second baseman Jamey Carroll, one of the team’s most consistent performers, said the Rockies’ inability to get key hits was the team’s biggest obstacle.
“I think we’re starting to better understand how important it is to get those runs in, whether it’s early in the game or later,” he said. “When you’re on the road, you can’t waste chances. We’ve done that too many times.”
Before this season, Holliday, Todd Helton and manager Clint Hurdle all said last year’s late road success was vital, in large part because it allowed the Rockies to exorcise past demons and gain confidence.
But given this season’s collapse – Colorado’s 20-45 road record since May 1 is the worst in the National League – has that confidence evaporated?
“No,” Hurdle said with an edge in his voice. “We haven’t won this year for no other reason than lack of execution. And we have made some critical errors at critical times.
“We just haven’t played well enough. Last year, during the second half, we found out that if we executed, the game really wasn’t that much different on the road.”
Hurdle said it’s possible his young team began pressing, shown by an 8-27 road record since the all-star break.
“We did not handle the heightened expectations well,” he said. “The guys got into a territory where they had never been and didn’t respond.”
Rockies’ road
The Rockies had high hopes of becoming a better road team this season. It hasn’t worked out that way. With just three road games remaining (in Chicago Sept. 29- Oct. 1), here’s a breakdown on their road woes. The Rockies:
* Are 20-45 (.308) on the road since May 1 – the worst in the National League
* Have lost 19 of the past 23 road games
* Have lost 10 of the past 11 road series
* Are 8-27 away from home since the all-star break
* Are hitting .250 on the road vs. .286 at home
* Score 4.3 runs per game on road vs. 5.3 at home
* Have a team ERA of 4.58 on the road vs. 4.28 at home
Staff writer Patrick Saunders can be reached at 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com.
