SAN FRANCISCO — Troy Tulowitzki sat at his locker, hands on head, absorbing Sunday’s numbing failure. This isn’t the end, but the beginning of a stretch that could define the Rockies’ season.
“Every team falls into a rut,” manager Jim Tracy said. “This is when you find out about the mettle of your club. Good teams get out of these situations more quickly.”
The Rockies left AT&T Park feeling like division leaders in name only, victims of a demoralizing sweep. The final score: San Francisco 3, Rockies 0.
The only difference was the absence of late-inning drama. After suffering three consecutive walkoff losses, the Rockies’ bullpen didn’t play a role in the outcome. Cody Ross belted his two-run, sixth-inning home run off starter Jorge De La Rosa.
It was the final fist to the throat in a dreadful trip. The Rockies went 1-5 against the Diamondbacks and Giants, shrinking their division lead from 4 1/2 games to a single one over the defending champions.
Incredibly, Rockies starters posted a 2.36 ERA during this stretch — but one win. The explanation for the incongruent statistic? The Rockies remain in a season-long offensive funk, and the underbelly of their bullpen (namely Felipe Paulino) failed repeatedly.
Colorado is 7-12 over its last 19 games.
“It seems like everybody is struggling,” Carlos Gonzalez said, and he included himself. “It’s time to get it going.”
The Rockies’ sputtering lineup has finally been punished. The team didn’t have a baserunner for five innings Sunday, leaving Giants starter Ryan Vogelsong to call his outing “the best day of my career.”
The Rockies begin an eight-game homestand tonight against the Mets with a .233 overall average — a weakness previously hidden by timely hits. Those have disappeared. The Rockies went 6-for-39 with runners in scoring position the past six games. It’s not isolated to a single player, Tracy said, explaining why he has no plans to overhaul the lineup.
Tulowitzki is in a 7-for-51 skid. Seth Smith (3-for-16) and Ian Stewart (1-for-15) are among several who struggled on the trip.
“I know guys are down, but they can’t get depressed,” first baseman Jason Giambi said. “We are too good not to hit. It’s going to turn around.”
Stewart has become a popular scapegoat for the team’s woes, if, for no other reason, than the Rockies’ lagging production from third base. Before the loss, an animated Tracy used a profanity to describe his team’s recent performance, and stopped just short of indicting certain players.
“With Ian, it’s time to fish or cut bait,” Tracy said.
Stewart is batting .073 and faces a short window to rebound, with Ty Wigginton likely to be activated this week.
“Story of my season,” said Stewart of his long flyball to the right-field wall, one of two good at-bats in the loss. “It’s very, very frustrating.”
With the margin for error absent, the bullpen’s missteps led to losses. The relievers posted a 6.28 ERA on the trip, allowing 20 hits in 14 1/3 innings.
“We are all frustrated,” closer Huston Street said. “But just like we weren’t blowing our horn when we were 11-2, we aren’t going to play the blame game now. We can come out of this even better if we handle it the right way.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
MONDAY: Mets at Rockies, 6:40 p.m., Root
Jhoulys Chacin (4-2, 2.85 ERA) made 200 innings a goal this season, knowing it was a required next step in his development. He has exceeded expectations, working at least seven innings in four of his six games this season. At home, Chacin has been a heavy boot on the opponent’s chest, posting a 1.17 ERA and 19 strikeouts. Owning right-handers.202 average against — is behind the fast start. Chris Capuano (2-3, 5.40) is a reclamation project after multiple surgeries. The Rockies beat him April 14 behind Troy Tulowit- zki’s seventh home run.
Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Tuesday: Mets’ Mike Pelfrey (2-3, 6.06 ERA) at Rockies’ Jason Hammel (3-1, 2.63), 6:40 p.m., Root
Wednesday: Mets’ Jon Niese (1-4, 4.71) at Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (0-2, 5.88), 1:10 p.m., Root
Thursday: Off
Friday: Padres’ Dustin Moseley (1-4, 2.47) at Rockies’ Jorge De La Rosa (4-1, 3.14), 6:40 p.m., Root
Saturday: Padres’ Aaron Harang (5-2, 4.07) at Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (4-2, 2.85), 1:10 p.m., Root
