The weekend began with the general manager lamenting his team’s execution. And it ends today with the Rockies trying to avoid the guillotine. If anyone can make a convincing argument for hope, it’s Colorado.
But the Rockies learned last season that miracle stories have expiration dates. And this fall, it feels like someone checked out the flick at Blockbuster while they were trying to find a parking spot.
Saturday’s sobering truth: Astros 2, Rockies 0.
The loss sank Colorado 5 1/2 games behind the Dodgers, who moved into first place for the first time this season. The Rockies have 19 games remaining. The next three weeks aren’t so much a playoff push as Robert the Bruce imploring Scottish soldiers to fight one last time in “Braveheart.”
Not even a sword or axe would have made much difference against Roy Oswalt. The Rockies have lost this season to Greg Maddux, the era’s winningest pitcher, and Randy Johnson, the era’s meanest pitcher. But no one has handled them like Oswalt.
His complete-game one-hitter was chilling in its efficiency. Brad Hawpe’s fifth-inning soft single represented the Rockies’ only hit. If Oswalt had a sense of humor, he would appeal the ruling since he definitely reacted as if should have caught the slow grounder up the middle.
Oswalt’s ERA against the Rockies plummeted to 1.84, the lowest career mark against them by any opposing pitcher who’s worked at least 50 innings.
With his repertoire Saturday, the Rockies were fortunate to avoid history. He pitched like the mound was sawdust, the baseball his brass knuckles.
With a 94 mph fastball running in on the hands of batters and a big breaking ball varying between 65 and 76 mph, Oswalt possessed no-hit stuff. Former Dodger Hideo Nomo owns the only no-no at Coors Field, his mastery playing out in the cold and multiple rain delays.
Oswalt’s inning-by-inning splits screamed of brilliance. He threw just 32 pitches through four innings, 28 of which were strikes. He began the seventh with 46 strikes and 12 balls. He finished with 102 pitches, 70 for strikes.
The Rockies’ biggest hit of the night came in the eighth when catcher Chris Iannetta hung in with a square jaw as Houston’s Reggie Abercrombie slammed into him.
Oswalt’s terror overshadowed another strong outing by Jeff Francis. He surrendered two runs in 6 1/3 innings, a hanging 80 mph changeup to Hunter Pence is only mistake. Pence deposited the pitch into the bleachers for a two-run home run.
That was all the support Oswalt required.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
