Numbers, it’s often said, don’t lie. In the Rockies’ case, they reveal painful truths.
Their 12-7 loss to the Dodgers tonight was their seventh defeat in their last eight games and 11th loss in the last 13. At 11-19, the defending National League champs are eight games under .500, meaning they’re closing in on last season’s lowest point, when they were nine games (18-27) under .500 on May 21.
Can you handle more truth? The last-place Rockies fell to 4-13 against National League West opponents and 0-5 against the sizzling Dodgers, a team that has outscored them 45-25. The Dodgers have won eight straight and 10 of their last 12.
With 132 games left in their season, the Rockies insist they haven’t reached DEFCON 1, but a chorus of boos at Coors Field suggests that “Rocktober” memories are fading fast.
With a wafer-thin pitching staff, Colorado had hoped for a solid effort from left-hander starter Jorge De La Rosa, recently acquired from the Royals organization. He failed to deliver in his Rockies debut, putting them in a quick 4-0 hole.
One bit of cheery news: Colorado had 11 hits, including a 3-for-5, four-RBI night from Brad Hawpe.
A combination of bad luck and poor execution plagued De La Rosa in his first inning in a Rockies uniform.
Los Angeles’ Rafael Furcal led off the game with an infield hit that dribbled down the third-base line. Juan Pierre followed with a line-drive bunt over the head of charging third baseman Garrett Atkins. Matt Kemp loaded the bases with a sharp single to left. De La Rosa managed to strike out Jeff Kent, but walked Russell Martin to force in a run. James Loney, who’s fast becoming the Rockies’ No. 1 nemesis, cleared the bases with a double to deep left-center.
There was nothing unlucky about the rest of De La Rosa’s outing. The Dodgers beat him like a piñata. He was pulled from the game in the fifth after giving up a three-run homer to Loney, who finished with six RBIs. De La Rosa’s numbers in his Rockies debut: Four innings, nine runs on nine hits, three walks and a homer.
The Rockies’ offense got them back in the game with three runs in the second, on an RBI-single by Hawpe, a run-scoring double by Jeff Baker and a sacrifice fly from De La Rosa, the first RBI of his career.
The Rockies tied the game 6-all in the third on a lead-off homer by Matt Holliday and a two-run homer by Hawpe to drive in Atkins.
The Rockies made some noise in the ninth against Dodgers closer Takashi Saito. Clint Barmes led off with a single and Holliday drew a walk. Up came Todd Helton, who just missed hitting a three-run, opposite-field homer before Pierre made a terrific catch, his glove stretched over the left-field wall.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
