ATLANTA — Rockies scouts, executives and coaches gathered at the team hotel for organizational meetings Tuesday. Beyond discussing prospects, the focus remains establishing a back-to-basics fundamental approach at every level.
For those wondering why, the Rockies provided a glaring example in a 5-4 balk-off loss to the Atlanta Braves.
Taylor Buchholz inexplicably stopped his motion with runners on second and third in the 10th inning after struggling to find a grip on his curveball.
“It’s pretty much the stupidest thing I have ever done,” Buchholz said.
His mouth-agape gaffe folded in nicely to an ugly performance. The Rockies committed three fielding errors in the infield, misplayed two base hits in the outfield and failed repeatedly with runners in scoring position, overriding home runs from Brad Hawpe, Chris Iannetta and a ninth-inning tying blast from Garrett Atkins.
Manager Clint Hurdle popped out of the dugout to protest the balk, but left after simply throwing his arms in the air. The Rockies inched closer to postseason death, their season a stronger reflection of their overall record (67-78) than their position in the standings (seven games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers, who won 6-2 at San Diego). To put that in perspective, the Rockies would have to go 15-2 over their remaining 17 games just to finish with a winning record.
“It’s execution, bottom line,” said Hurdle, echoing a theme identified by his boss, GM Dan O’Dowd. “The execution of the game starts with me and ends with me. I am responsible for it when things aren’t right.”
There were times the Rockies looked uninspired and flat, but that’s always the case when a team doesn’t hit. There were times they looked electric, if not magical, specifically when Troy Tulowitzki turned in his best defensive play of the season with a diving stab to start a bases-loaded double play in the ninth.
Omar Infante was hitting with runners at second and third when Buchholz suffered a brain freeze for his second straight loss in two games. It sent the small gathering home happy with Bobby Cox bobbleheads and a rare victory for a team that clinched a losing season Sunday.
“It’s tough to lose on a mental mistake,” Tulowitzki said. “We just haven’t done a very good job in a lot of areas or done the little things to win.”
Tuesday featured all the ingredients necessary for a tasty appetizer. Aaron Cook was attempting for the second time to win his 17th game, tying the franchise single-season record. He owns 10 road wins, and the Rockies were 14-8 in visiting parks since the all-star break.
Those became empty stats.
Cook continued to battle command issues that have plagued him since the all-star break. The Braves tagged him for three runs in the first inning on a RBI single from Brian McCann and run-scoring double from Casey Kotchman.
Still, when Atkins tied it in the ninth, hope returned.
Disbelief soon followed.
“The way this season has gone,” Atkins said, “it’s not really surprising.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
TODAY: Rockies at Braves, 5 p.m., FSN
Livan Hernandez (11-11, 6.16 ERA) preys on young hitters, enticing them with pitches that are the equivalent of molasses dripping from a tree. That makes it imperative that he not get beaten by the middle of the Braves’ order, which features Chipper Jones and Brian McCann with kids all around. Hernandez has changed speeds more effectively in his last two outings. The team is 2-3 in his assignments. Atlanta’s James Parr, a career 43-40 pitcher in the minor leagues, makes his second career start. He worked six shutout innings in a win over the Nationals last week.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Thursday:
Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (10-12, 4.20 ERA) vs. Braves’ Jair Jurrjens (12-9, 3.54), 5:10 p.m., FSN
Friday:
Dodgers’ Chad Billingsley (14-10, 3.02) vs. Rockies’ Jeff Francis (4-9, 5.03), 7:05 p.m., FSN
Saturday:
Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (3-5, 4.60) vs. Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (8-7, 5.30), 6 p.m., KTVD-20
Sunday:
Dodgers’ Greg Maddux (7-12, 4.24) vs. Rockies’ Aaron Cook (16-9, 4.16), 1:05 p.m., FSN
