They don’t do shades of gray. The Rockies, it appears, only work in contrasts.
On the night they unveiled the banner commemorating their greatest season, the Rockies trudged toward their worst start of all time.
They have held a lead in two innings this season, and not since Tuesday’s season-opener. They have one win. This opening weekend celebration is going over about as well as New Coke.
The Rockies’ ugly 7-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday at Coors Field is symbolic of a forgettable week.
“It’s not acceptable,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “We need to play better.”
The 43,124 home fans faced a conundrum following the Rockies’ fourth straight defeat, a skid they didn’t reach last season until June 25th — so many concerns to grouse about, so little time.
Injuries have hit early, with Luis Vizcaino, the highest-paid free-agent reliever in Rockies’ history, landing on the disabled list. He was hurt on his sixth warm-up pitch and will be replaced today by Ryan Speier.
Worse, the electric offense has gone acoustic. The Rockies have scored eight runs in their first five games. Their previous low was 16 in 2002.
Clutch hitting remains a sore spot, exposed again in the eighth inning.
The Rockies mounted their most serious scoring threat since 2007, loading the bases with no outs against Arizona reliever Tony Peña.
What happened next is hard to fathom for anyone who watched this team last season or even in spring training. Garrett Atkins struck out, Chris Iannetta went down looking and pinch-hitter Ryan Spilborghs grounded out to third. The Rockies are 4-for-42 with runners in scoring position.
“Once you get that big hit, guys will relax,” Todd Helton said. “But we haven’t gotten that hit all season. We are lucky to have one win.”
If it were only the offense, this disappointment would make more sense.
But Colorado has not pitched well, allowing base runners in 20 consecutive innings. Jeff Francis made his official debut — or do-over as it were — opposite Arizona ace Brandon Webb.
Francis surrendered a leadoff home run to Chris Young on the fifth pitch. Young added a second home run in the sixth inning, a dagger to Francis’ encouraging recovery.
“They didn’t give me any easy outs,” Francis said.
The left-hander showed command, but not results. Arizona tagged him for five runs and 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings. Francis is 2-6 with a 5.34 career ERA in April. And he’s the only pitcher in the rotation who won a single game in the first month last season.
The bullpen continues to be a fluid situation. With Vizcaino hurt, Kip Wells pitched the eighth, his first appearance since Tuesday’s start, and struggled. He overthrew Iannetta at home plate on a comebacker with bases loaded, a cringe moment that rarely appeared a year ago when the Rockies posted the best fielding percentage in major-league history.
“It’s been bad pitches, bad hitting, bad everything,” Francis said. “But we know we are a good team, and we will get through this.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
TODAY: Diamondbacks at Rockies, 1:05 p.m., KTVD-20
In the course of just one inning, Rockies left- hander Franklin Morales can cause pitching coach Bob Apodaca to drool with delight or yank his hair in frustration. After a disappointing spring training, the 22-year-old Morales makes his first start of the 2008 season. Apodaca wants Morales (3-2, 3.43 ERA in 2007) to stay calm and pitch his way out of jams, as opposed to simply trying to blow hitters away. Right-hander Edgar Gonzalez makes his 2008 debut for Arizona. Gonzalez was 4-4 with a 4.67 ERA in 12 starts last year and 4-0 with a 5.58 ERA in 20 relief appearances.
Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post
Monday:
Braves’ Tom Glavine (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. Rockies’ Aaron Cook (0-1, 6.00), 6:35 p.m., FSN
Tuesday:
Braves’ Jair Jurrjens (1-0, 3.38) vs. Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1, 5.40), 6:35 p.m. FSN
Wednesday:
Braves’ Chuck James (0-0, season debut) vs. Rockies’ Mark Redman (0-1, 6.35), 6:35 p.m., FSN
