LOS ANGELES — Saturday was not a good day to be a Mile High City sports fan. The Lakers embarrassed the Nuggets — again — in the playoffs. The Red Wings humbled the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
The defending National League champion Rockies? They lost 11-3 to the Dodgers. Got creamed is more like it, losing for the sixth time in seven games.
This one was over in the first inning when starter Mark Redman was tagged for 10 runs on six hits, including a grand slam by Los Angeles right fielder Matt Kemp. The 10 runs were the most given up by a Rockies pitcher in a single inning.
“It just seemed that he wasn’t able to hit any spots,” Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. “Whether he had problems with his command or was trying to be too fine, he just painted himself into a corner when he had to throw strikes.”
It was the latest in a series of struggles by a Colorado starter. In Friday night’s 8-7, 13-inning loss to the Dodgers, Ubaldo Jimenez stuck around for just 2 1/3 innings. In the third, Jimenez faced eight batters, surrendered five runs on five hits, threw two wild pitches and hit a batter.
Before Saturday’s game, Hurdle said, in effect, that it was time for Jimenez to shape up or ship out, most likely to Triple-A Colorado Springs. He also said rookie left-hander Franklin Morales must begin producing.
Colorado’s overtaxed bullpen came into Saturday’s game having worked a major league-high 89 1/3 innings. In Friday night’s 13-inning loss to L.A., relievers gobbled up 10 1/3 innings.
That’s why Hurdle so badly needed a quality start from Redman. That’s also why Redman played the part of the sacrificial lamb, staying on to pitch six more innings after the first- frame debacle.
“After 10 runs you are pretty much passed being upset. You can sit in the dugout and say ‘poor me,’ or you can go out there and try to help the bullpen out for tomorrow’s game and eat up some innings,” Redman said.
The Rockies, facing longtime nemesis Brad Penny, got off to an encouraging start in the first when Matt Holliday singled and came home on Garrett Atkins’ sixth homer of the season.
Then the proverbial Titanic smacked into the proverbial iceberg. When Matt Kemp hit a sacrifice fly to score Juan Pierre from third, there were two outs and the Rockies still led 2-1. But the next nine batters reached base by various means, including run-scoring singles by Blake DeWitt, Penny and Rafael Furcal. Redman walked Russell Martin, James Loney and Andruw Jones in succession, with Jones’ walk coming with the bases full.
Facing Pierre the second time around, Redman hit him, loading the bases and setting the stage for Kemp’s first career grand slam.
Redman settled down after that, allowing just one hit and no runs over the next six innings, but the damage was done.
Redman is a location pitcher without overpowering stuff. When he’s on, he competes. When he’s off, it’s like Charlie Brown on the mound getting his shoes blow off. That was the case Sept. 23, 2006, when Redman started for Kansas City against Detroit. In one-third of an inning, he gave up nine runs.
The hard-throwing Penny went seven innings, giving up three runs on just four hits. He improved his career record against the Rockies to 13-2.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
Atkins’ bat remains hot
Garrett Atkins swears he’s not in “The Zone.” Oh, really? Than how come he hit a two-run homer in the first inning, extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has now hit safely in 20-of-24 games this season? “I really don’t think I’m driving the ball that well yet, but it’s coming around. I think I’m seeing the ball well, but I’m not where I want to be,” said Atkins, whose first-inning drive to left was his sixth homer of the season. Atkins didn’t hit his sixth homer last season until June 15.
Helton hitting second
Todd Helton found himself in a relatively new place Saturday night: hitting from the second spot in the order. Manager Clint Hurdle moved him there in hopes of jump-starting the Rockies’ inconsistent offense. Entering Saturday’s game, Helton had just 52 at-bats in the No. 2 spot (.333, six homers, 25 RBIs) since making his debut with the Rockies in 1997.
Looking Ahead
TODAY: Rockies at Dodgers, 2 p.m., KTVD-20
Aaron Cook stepped up in his last start. Now it’s Jeff Francis’ turn to try to turn the Rockies in the right direction. Francis (0-2, 5.68 ERA) opened the season with two terrible outings, but he’s shown better fastball command in his past two starts. Francis handles the Dodgers well, posting a career 4-1 record with a 2.65 ERA against them. Last year, he was 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA against them. Right-hander Esteban Loaiza (1-2, 4.32) starts for L.A. He’s spent most of this season in the bullpen, where he went 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA. Today marks his second start of the season.
Monday:
Rockies’ Franklin Morales (1-1, 6.00) vs. Giants’ Matt Cain (0-2, 5.24), 8:15 p.m., FSN
Tuesday:
Rockies’ Aaron Cook (3-1, 2.91) vs. Giants’ Tim Lincecum (4-0, 1.23), 8:15 p.m., FSN
Wednesday: Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2, 6.46) vs. Giants’ Jonathan Sanchez (2-1, 3.54), 1:45 p.m., FSN
Thursday: Off day
