HOUSTON — The Rockies reached the intersection of Embarrassing and Unfathomable earlier this week with a winless homestand. After two nights in Houston, they are headed straight for indignity.
The Rockies were thrashed by the Astros 11-2 on Friday, overmatched and overwhelmed for three hours that screamed out for a mercy rule.
Colorado has dropped nine straight games, tied for the fourth-longest losing streak in franchise history. The team record is 13, set by the lovable mutts in the 1993 expansion bunch. The Rockies have five games left. You do the math. Anything is possible at this point.
Even Drew Pomeranz, a bright light in this forgettable month, dimmed Friday. The left-hander continued a string of awful starting pitching, hammered for six runs in two innings. The Astros began the game with six hits for the first time in their 49-year history. Every Houston starter recorded a hit, former Rockie Clint Barmes the last to do with a solo home run.
The Rockies’ starters own a 9.29 ERA during the nine-game stretch. The struggling pitching and injury-depleted, talent-challenged lineup have conspired to create some of the ugliest outcomes in Rockies’ history. Opponents have outscored the Rockies 69-27. Colorado is using everything but duct tape and chicken wire to patch together a lineup.
Troy Tulowitzki (left hip) and Carlos Gonzalez (right wrist) likely won’t play again this season. Todd Helton is already done for the season and Jason Giambi (stiff back) remains available only to pinch hit.
The Rockies’ offense was a rumor for much of the evening against Brett Myers, armed with a knee-locking curveball. Dexter Fowler delivered an RBI double in the first and Chris Nelson, long after Myers was gone, hit the first pinch-hit home run of his career.
Troy E. Renck: 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com
Looking ahead
TODAY: Rockies at Astros, 5:05 p.m., Root
Jason Hammel (7-13, 4.85 ERA) has never pitched more aggressively or with more focus as a Rockie, insists manager Jim Tracy. The right-hander has worked his way back into the conversation for next year’s rotation. Be warned: Hammel has shown flashes before. The key going forward is mental toughness, the ability to minimize damage and maintain composure. The Rockies are 11-15 in his starts this season, not what they expected leaving spring training. J.A. Happ (6-15, 5.48), the centerpiece of the Roy Oswalt trade, shut out the Rockies in 2009. Happ has won five times at home this year. Kevin Kouzmanoff is 3-for-5 against the left-hander. Troy E. Renck, The Denver Post
Upcoming pitching matchups
Sunday: Rockies’ Kevin Millwood (3-3, 4.56 ERA) at Astros’ Lucas Harrel (0-1, 2.00), 12:05 p.m., Root
Monday: Rockies’ Jhoulys Chacin (11-13, 3.66) at Giants’ Ryan Vogelsong (12-7, 2.81), 8:15 p.m., Root
Tuesday: Rockies’ Alex White (2-3, 8.63) at Giants’ Madison Bumgarner (12-13, 3.32), 8:15 p.m., Root
Wednesday: Rockies’ Drew Pomeranz (1-1, 5.68) at Giants’ Matt Cain (12-11, 2.88), 1:45 p.m., Root
