PHOENIX — The Rockies entered the all-star break with a resounding thud.
Not only did they lose their sixth consecutive game Sunday, falling 5-3 to Arizona at Chase Field, they also lost for the 11th time in their last 15 games.
Which leads to the natural question: Is this a good time for a midsummer break?
“Even if we had won six (straight), I think it’s a good time,” manager Bud Black said. “This time of year, I think all players are a little weary. If we had won six in a row, it would have been a good time, too.”
All-star shortstop Trevor Story had a different take.
“We obviously didn’t finish the first half the way we wanted to, losing six straight,” Story said. “It’s a good time for a break, that’s for sure. Kind of get our bearings, come back, start the second half like we know we can play ball.
“It’s not the end of the season, that’s for sure. We have been in some much worse spots before, and we are leaning on that (experience). We know what kind of team we have here. So we’ll see at the end.”
Fair enough, but there are ominous facts to consider:
— Colorado (44-45) fell below .500 for the first time since May 28 and also fell into fourth place in the National League West behind the torrid Dodgers (60-32), Arizona (46-45) and San Diego (45-45).
— The Rockies have never made the playoffs when they entered the all-star break with a losing record. They are 2½ games out of the second NL wild-card spot and are trailing five teams.
— The Rockies are playing their worst baseball since they opened the season with a 3-12 record.
They lost Sunday in particularly ugly fashion:
— Colorado managed just four hits total and was held hitless for six innings by Diamondbacks rookie left-hander Alex Young, who entered the game with 7⅓ innings on his big-league résumé.
— Defense, which has been questionable for the past three weeks, was shaky again Sunday, with first baseman and right fielder having rough days in the field.
— Starter German Marquez was rocked for five runs on six hits over six innings. Arizona scored four runs off him in the sixth on a two-run single by Christian Walker and a two-run home run to left by Nick Ahmed. Marquez enters the break with an 8-4 record and a 4.45 ERA.
“My curveball was good today, and my fastball command was good,” Marquez said, but he admitted the hanging slider to Ahmed was a mistake in execution.
Young, making just his second start and pitching in his third big-league game, handcuffed the Rockies for six frames. The only baserunner against Young was , who drew a one-out walk in the third inning.
Young needed only 71 pitches (45 strikes) to maneuver through his outing, but he was pulled by manager Torey Lovullo because of a limited rookie pitch count, and the fact that Young worked his last game out of the bullpen. Lovullo said he was going to take Young out after the sixth, regardless of the situation.
“It’s always a little different when you haven’t seen a guy (before), but it seemed like he was keeping the ball down, for the most part,” Story said. “He didn’t make too many mistakes, so we kind of tip our cap to him and look for him next time around.”
Colorado finally managed a hit in the seventh inning when beat out an infield grounder to third base off Yoshihisa Hirano, who had replaced Young.
‘s two-run, pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning off Andrew Chafin got Colorado on the board, and Story’s solo blast to center off struggling Arizona closer Greg Holland made things a bit interesting.
A series of Rockies miscues helped Arizona stake a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Marquez struck out Young, but Marquez’s third-strike curve bounced to the backstop and Young reached first base on the wild pitch. Young advanced to second on a passed ball by Wolters and then scored on Eduardo Escobar’s two-out double that got by Murphy at first. An error certainly could have been charged to Murphy, who waved at the ball and got a glove on it, but couldn’t make the play.
“I should have made (the play),” Murphy said.
Blackmon, who made two questionable throws from right field in the sixth inning, allowing runners to advance, also had Ketel Marte’s liner glance off his glove for a double in the the seventh. Arizona, however, did not take advantage of that miscue.
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