PHOENIX — Someday, perhaps the Rockies will recognize the gap in logic.
They fashion themselves as a playoff team. They are convinced they can win their first-ever National League West crown. But good teams bully also-rans. That’s how it works.
It’s how they go on streaks and create separation in the standings. The Rockies arrived at Chase Field with a chance to enjoy a memorable road trip. Instead, they wake up Sunday morning trying to avoid the sweep, losing 4-3 to the last-place Diamondbacks because of an alarming inability to deliver in the clutch.
Zero.
That’s how many hits the Rockies delivered with runners in scoring position in 11 at-bats. The whole D-Train, D-backs’ story was uncomfortably warm and fuzzy, but Dontrelle Willis’ debut doesn’t excuse this. And forget blaming Todd Helton. The first baseman was on the bench for the first of two games to clear his head.
Nearly every other Rockie failed. Brad Hawpe struck out. Clint Barmes popped up. Ian Stewart fanned, a particularly painful misstep with bases loaded against reliever Aaron Heilman in the seventh. The Rockies’ runs came on two sacrifice flies and a walk.
There were times Saturday when the pitchers couldn’t find the plate with Tom-Tom. Yet, it was hard to determine whether they were effectively wild or maddeningly inconsistent. When Willis reached the 54-pitch mark, he had 27 balls and 27 strikes. Rockies’ rookie Jhoulys Chacin waded through deep counts.
The difference was that Willis never made a crippling mistake. He bore a striking resemblance to the wide-eyed kid who made his triumphant major-league debut May 9, 2003 against the Rockies. That steamy night in Florida he was a left-handed Juan Marichal living in the moment.
Saturday, he was a project with some assembly required, Arizona reaching into the land of misfit toys hoping that a return to the National League would rejuvenate Willis.
That formula has been used successfully by several clubs over the last years and it certainly helped Willis. He worked six shutout innings, showing a knack for making the big pitch when he needed it most. The Rockies went 0-for-10 against the left-hander with runners in scoring position. Willis received repeated loud ovations from the crowd, including a roar when he slid in headfirst for the Diamondbacks’ first run.
The Diamondbacks maximized their minimal production against Chacin. Regrettably, the damage came with two outs in the sixth. Chacin walked consecutive hitters, one intentionally after falling behind the count, before pinch-hitter Ryan Roberts struck again.
He delivered the walk-off win Friday, then smacked a two-run double off Chacin. Kelly Johnson doubled off reliever Randy Flores, shoving the Diamondbacks ahead 4-1.
Of course, the Diamondbacks’ have blown more leads than a cub reporter, so there was more than hope. There was belief in a comeback. Carlos Rosa obliged, allowing two runs on sacrifice flies before giving way to Aaron Heilman. He walked Seth Smith with bases loaded before striking out the pinch-hitting Stewart on an 81-mph changeup.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
