The Rockies’ latest and greatest issue — middle bullpen inconsistency — reared its ugly head again in a 12-4 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday night.
But, more subtly, one of Colorado’s improving facets was also highlighted as well, as the Rockies recorded another pinch hit — knocks which were exceedingly hard to come by earlier in the season.
In April, the team’s pinch hitters posted a .128 average (5-for-39), second-to-last in the National League.
But Colorado batted .282 (11-for-39) in the situation in May, a surge in production that ranked in the top half of the league and which can largely be attributed to the promotions of Noel Cuevas and David Dahl from Triple-A Albuquerque April 22.
Granted, Dahl (3-for-9 with a homer in the pinch) is out 6-8 weeks due to a broken bone in his foot, but Cuevas is also hitting a solid .333 (6-for-18) in the role, including a couple critical knocks such as the game-winning RBI triple to open the homestand against Cincinnati.
And considering it was Ryan McMahon who jumped aboard Colorado’s recent pinch hit parade on Saturday with his first career pinch hit — snapping an 0-for-12 drought this season — there’s now reason for increased optimism whenever manager Bud Black looks to his bench for a critical at-bat.
“Cuevas is doing a really good job off the bench, and it seems like we’re doing a better job off the bench and with pinch hitting overall than we were earlier in the season,” center fielder Charlie Blackmon said.
Five takeaways from the Rockies’ loss on Saturday:
No. 1 — In the seventh, the Rockies allowed eight runs in an inning for the second time this season — the first being in the seventh inning in a loss to San Diego at Coors Field on April 23.
No. 2 — Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp yanked a two-run homer 416 feet to left during that big seventh inning, his 21st career dinger at Coors Field. That mark ties Sammy Sosa and Eric Karros for the second-most career home runs at the ballpark by an opposing player (Barry Bonds, 26).
No. 3 — Speaking of Kemp, his bullet throw from left field hosed Blackmon in a play at the plate to end the first inning, robbing Carlos Gonzalez of a sacrifice fly RBI and denying the Rockies an early 1-0 lead. It was Kemp’s first assist this season.
No. 4 — With his 2-for-3 showing, Blackmon extended his season-high hitting streak to 10 games, which is also a club high this year. Indians outfielder Michael Brantley posted the longest hitting streak in the majors this year at 19 games.
No. 5 — Nolan Arenado, 2-for-4 in the defeat, continues to be a tough out at Coors Field this season. He’s reached base in 25 of 26 home games, with the one exception coming in the April 11 brawl with San Diego in which he was ejected in the third inning.
Quotable — German Marquez on his no-decision outing in which he consistently worked around traffic, throwing a career-high 114 pitches following a clean first inning: “It wasn’t as great as my previous two starts, but I battled and I gave the team a chance.”
