Todd Helton stood in a nearly deserted Rockies clubhouse Thursday afternoon fielding questions for which he had no answers.
“I guess I am a little baffled,” he replied when asked how his team, predicted by many to emerge as an offensive powerhouse, could founder so badly at home.
After managing just five hits in a 3-1 loss to the Diamondbacks, the Rockies fell to 9-11 at Coors Field, where their batting average dipped to .261. The worst home average for a season in franchise history was .294, in 2003 and 2006. Opponents, meanwhile, are batting .295 at Coors.
After an impressive win Wednesday night over reigning Cy Young winner Brandon Webb, the Rockies seemed poised to finally put together the semblance of a winning streak. But crafty right- hander Livan Hernandez handcuffed the Rockies on four hits in seven innings. Once again, the Rockies are running around in circles, getting nowhere fast.
They lost the Arizona series 2-1, fell to 3-4 on this crucial homestand and fell eight games behind the streaking Dodgers in the NL West. Thursday marked the sixth time in seven tries the Rockies lost the rubber game of a series.
“That’s been our M.O. all year,” Helton said. “We play one game good and two games bad. That’s not going to get you anywhere.”
For his second start in a row, Josh Fogg pitched well enough to win, but left Coors Field with a loss. In seven innings he gave up one earned run on seven hits, walked two and struck out three.
“I felt like I was able to keep them off-balance for the most part,” Fogg said. “I felt good out there, but I just got outpitched.”
Maybe so, but right now the Rockies’ offensive ineptitude at home is the real culprit. Humidor or no humidor, output has been weak. The Rockies have scored three runs or fewer in nine of their 20 home games. Garrett Atkins, a .346 hitter at Coors last season, went 0-for-3 Thursday, slumping to .236 at Coors and .232 for the season. Role player John Mabry, who struck out to end Thursday’s game with Yorvit Torrealba on second, is 1-for-15 at Coors (.067).
The Rockies are unable to provide an explanation, much less a solution to the problem.
“We just have to keep working,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “Baseball is a game without sympathy and you can’t let your confidence wane.”
In the fourth inning, rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki attempted to push the action, but the plan backfired. He led off with a single and attempted to turn it into a hustling double. He slid safely into second, but was tagged out by Orlando Hudson when umpire Rick Reed ruled Tulowitzki’s hand slipped off the bag.
“My hand came off, which I agreed with, but I thought my body was on the bag when my hand came off,” Tulowitzki said.
The Rockies blew their best chance in the fourth when they loaded the bases with a Matt Holliday double and walks by Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe, only to see Torrealba ground out to shortstop. But there’s nothing unusual there. With runners in scoring position, the Rockies have two or fewer hits in 11 straight games.
Patrick Saunderscan be reached at 303-954-1428
