It’s impossible right now to think of the Rockies leading the 10 o’clock news in October. Not when they’ve become everything they said they wouldn’t be in spring training.
Remember Salt River Fields? Remember when this team tirelessly worked on fundamentals and held video sessions illustrating their importance?
Those 12-hour days are mocking them, leaving their dreams incongruent with their record at the season’s midway point. The Rockies lost again Thursday — 6-4 in 10 innings to the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field — because there’s no detail too small that they haven’t botched at the worst possible time.
Reliever Clayton Mortensen mishandled Gordon Beckham’s sacrifice bunt, setting the stage for Juan Pierre’s bases-loaded, two-run single off the right-field wall in the 10th inning.
“That’s a game we should have won,” said Todd Helton, whose 2,000th game in a Rockies uniform was spoiled by the late-inning collapse. “A good ball team puts it together day after day. We haven’t done that. And we better hurry up.”
There’s no way to describe this defeat, the fifth in six games, than as a punch to the gut. Good teams don’t squander three-run leads. Good teams don’t squander two-run leads with six outs remaining. The Rockies aspire to mediocrity, their 39-42 record a testament to their struggles.
“We aren’t playing good baseball,” said Troy Tulowitzki, who hit his 15th home run in the first inning, the only caffeine in the Rockies’ offense. “We need better bullpen work. We need sound defense. We need better clutch hitting. I obviously haven’t played my best. I know that.”
A year ago, the Rockies were 43-38, riding hope and baseball’s best starter in Ubaldo Jimenez. Thursday, they featured Aaron Cook, a veteran pitcher fighting to hold onto his rotation spot. Several teams have scouted Cook, looking to see if there’s a trade match, but his remaining $4.9 million salary will make it difficult without the Rockies eating a large chunk. Cook pitched better, holding the White Sox to one run over six innings after his sinker improved.
But Rafael Betancourt, shifted into a seventh-inning role, and Matt Lindstrom, the new setup man, were tagged for three runs. Lindstrom lamented an 0-2 hanging slider to Alexei Ramirez that gave birth to a White Sox rally.
“Yeah, I am ticked, especially for this to happen at home. I need to change eye levels more,” Lindstrom said. “But give them credit for putting the ball in play.”
Without a strong kick into the all-star break, the Rockies will likely become sellers at the July 31 trading deadline.
In that sense, Thursday brought a momentary sense of relief. Management hasn’t given up the dream. General manager Dan O’Dowd acquired second baseman Mark Ellis to hit second, while taking on $1 million in salary. They need a grinder at the top of the order, a guy who can do the little things. Never was that more evident than Thursday as the Rockies remained 6 1/2 behind the first-place Giants.
“Ellis brings it every day, and plays hard. Maybe that will help,” Tulowitzki said. “We know that if we want to keep this team together, we’ve got to win. Otherwise, there’s going to be moves.”
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
FRIDAY: Royals at Rockies, 6:10 p.m., Root
Juan Nicasio (2-1, 5.08 ERA) never backed down from the Yankees. But he never kept them guessing, either (72 fastballs in 84 pitches). Worse, when traffic hit, his velocity dipped from 95 mph to 90. He will look to mix in his slider more. Royals lefty Danny Duffy (1-2, 4.61) has been much better on the road and is tough on lefties (.231 vs. lefties, .322 vs. righties). Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Saturday: Royals’ Kyle Davies (1-6, 7.46 ERA) at Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (8-5, 3.10), 6:10 p.m., Root
Sunday: Royals’ Luke Hochevar (5-8, 4.96) at Rockies’ Jason Hammel (4-7, 4.02), 1:10 p.m., Root
Monday: Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez (3-7, 4.35) at Braves’ Tommy Hansen (9-4, 2.62), 5:10 p.m. Root
Tuesday: Rockies’ Aaron Cook (0-3, 4.66) at Braves’ Derek Lowe (4-6, 4.16), 5:10 p.m., Root
