Is it too much to expect that a lineup with Todd Helton, Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez hitting third, fourth and fifth, respectively, could bunch some base hits together?
Apparently it is in the current state of the Rockies’ offense — or lack of it. The trio, expected to be a source of timely hitting, again couldn’t do it Sunday in a disappointing 8-4 loss at Coors Field to the Pittsburgh Pirates. To make matters worse, Gonzalez and Tulowitzki hit into double plays.
“If you want to be a championship-caliber team, you have to count on one through eight,” Gonzalez said after going 1-for-3 in the series finale. “Everyone looks to the middle of the lineup to lead, and that puts a lot pressure on us. It’s still early, but we want to be a really good team.”
After hitting .197 as a team in the first two games against the Pirates, the Rockies had nine hits in Sunday’s loss, but not once did they produce back-to- back hits.
Helton had singles in his first two at-bats and drove in the Rockies’ first run. Tulowitzki had a single in the fifth inning but was erased on a double-play groundball by Gonzalez.
Gonzalez doubled to open the fourth in what could have been a big inning. He was erased on a fielder’s choice by Seth Smith, who then scored on Ryan Spilborghs’ pinch-hit single, cutting the deficit to 4-2. The Rockies subsequently loaded the bases with two outs against Pirates starter and winner Charlie Morton, and newcomer Alfredo Amezaga hit a line drive — but right at Pirates second baseman Neil Walker.
In the sixth, after Dexter Fowler’s two-run double made it 8-4, the Rockies had runners at second and third with one out, but Amezaga struck out and Helton flied out.
“We had baserunners, but when you’re down 4-0 and 8-4 and running out of outs, there are parts of your game that’s basically taken away from you,” Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. “What else can you do in the Amezaga at-bat? If it’s just a little to one side or the other, the game’s tied.”
“You swing at good pitches,” Fowler said when asked how the Rockies can start bunching hits. “Our guys are great hitters. You don’t win Silver Slugger Awards and batting titles by accident.”
Helton agreed that the Rockies aren’t hitting well.
“I’m very confident that we’re going to swing the bats better as a team,” he said. “It can’t happen soon enough. If we’re going to be successful, we have to swing better one through eight.”
“I couldn’t hit it much better,” Amezaga said of his bid in the fourth. “It couldn’t find a hole. It might have changed the game around. I needed that so bad.”
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
