Usually, falling behind by three runs is a recipe for disaster in the major leagues. But the Rockies have turned it into a model for success at Coors Field.
Sure enough, it happened again Saturday night. The Rockies stumbled early, got to their feet and took the lead against the Brewers. But this time, even their Coors Field karma let them down.
They rallied from a three-run deficit to tie the game, then took the lead but lost 5-4 in 10 innings on Casey McGehee’s run-scoring single off Huston Street.
Their Mile High magic — the six walkoff home runs, the 12-run eighth inning and nine-run ninth — seemed like distant memories on this night. The Rockies struggled to pick up a hit against a trio of Milwaukee pitchers that included rookie Mike McClendon, who threw three perfect innings of relief in his major-league debut.
The Rockies were outhit 16-6, yet somehow, some way, were within a run of winning in a place where they’ve been borderline unbeatable.
“We put ourselves in position to win another very special game,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “We didn’t have a whole lot of opportunities . . . That big hit we needed, we couldn’t get it.”
The loss came one week after Street served up a three-run walkoff home run to Pittsburgh’s Pedro Alvarez. Against the Brewers, Street opened the 10th with a changeup that Ryan Braun drilled to right field for a double. After an intentional walk to Prince Fielder, McGehee lined a single to center for the game-winner.
“At this point in the season, you have to take a night like tonight and turn the pages as fast as you can,” Street said. “You can’t dwell on it, you can’t worry about it. It’s frustrating to lose whether it’s me on the mound or someone else on the mound. We’re running out of time.”
The loss dropped the Rockies six games behind the Giants in the National League wild-card race. How atypical was the defeat? The Rockies going into the game were 37-19 at Coors Field, including 13-6 in one-run games.
“Tough loss,” Todd Helton said. “It’s a game we should have won.”
They were in position to win thanks to Helton, the self-described boat anchor for the Rockies’ offense in the first half of the season. He homered off left-hander Chris Narveson to open the fourth, his first home run at Coors Field in 2010.
Helton had logged 128 at-bats without homering at home before delivering a souvenir to the seats in left-center field. And it wasn’t the first time he had given the Rockies a spark in recent days. He hit a two-run homer to give them the lead in the 10th at Pittsburgh, only to have the Pirates walk off in the bottom of the inning.
“It’s good to drive the ball the other way, and against a lefty,” Helton said. “I had one good swing tonight, but overall I feel a little better at the plate.
“They did a good job of swinging the bats. Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap, but it’s getting a little late in the season to still be tipping our caps. We need to start winning some ballgames.”
Jim Armstrong: 303-954-1269 or jmarmstrong@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
TODAY: Brewers at Rockies, 1:10 p.m., FSN
Ubaldo Jimenez (17-3, 2.55 ERA) has been particularly effective in series wrapups, witness his 10-2 record and 1.97 ERA in day games. When he commands his fastball early in the count, he’s as unhittable as any pitcher in The Show. Lefty Manny Parra (3-9, 5.46) made 17 of his first 18 appearances out of the bullpen. He may be headed back there if he doesn’t get it together. He’s 0-4, 7.44 in his last six starts, and opponents are hitting .295 against him for the season compared with .200 for Jimenez.
Jim Armstrong, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (5-8, 4.04 ERA) at Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw (10-7, 3.17), 8:10 p.m., FSN
Wednesday: Rockies’ Jason Hammel (8-7, 4.42) at Dodgers’ Hiroki Kuroda (8-11, 3.53), 8:10 p.m., FSN
Thursday: Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (4-3, 4.99) at Dodgers’ Ted Lilly (6-8, 3.44), 8:10 p.m., FSN
