Outside the stadium, three hours before the first pitch, there was not a single person waiting to buy tickets. Not even a scalper, looking to turn a couple of bucks.
Inside Coors Field, the crowd was late arriving, many sections half empty as Aaron Cook took the mound at home for the last time as a Rockies player.
The juxtaposition from opening day was striking. That chilly April afternoon brought wild expectations, a standing-room-only crowd and homecoming opponent, the lowly Arizona Diamondbacks.
The journey since has been chilling in its disappointment. The Rockies were baseball’s best team through 13 games, now are facing a first-to-worst reality in the National League West after the worst homestand in club history.
The Rockies lost 4-0 Wednesday to the San Diego Padres, a team suddenly in position to pass Colorado in the standings over the final week.
Never. That’s how many times the Rockies have gone 0-7 on a homestand. The inaugural 1993 bunch, a charming group of castoffs, went 1-7 once. Todd and the Toddlers rebuilding teams never posted a donut like this.
The Rockies were outscored 49-19 in the seven losses to the Giants and last place Padres, who sit just 2 1/2 games behind the Rockies. An ugly first inning spoiled Cook’s final home start. The Padres tagged him for four runs on four hits. The right-hander veered back on track, holding the Padres scoreless over the next four innings. Cook struck out eight batters, tying a career-high and a new best at Coors Field.
It was another surreal statistic in a season covered in them. Pinch-hitter Ty Wigginton struck out looking in the ninth. He has 18 hits in 112 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Prior to the game, an animated Jim Tracy talked about how the players need to learn from their mistakes, and adopt a better hitting approach. During the game, it was more of the same ineptitude. The Rockies finished with 14 hits in three games in the series against the Padres.
Troy Tulowitzki started and, as planned, played half the game to test to his sore left hip. He had no issues. Todd Helton and Carlos Gonzalez remained unavailable and might not play again this season.
The Rockies have seven games remaining. Avoiding last place is the only attainable goal left.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
