The numbers don’t add up. Or maybe they do.
The Rockies’ rotation has 22 quality starts this season, tied for the seventh-most in the majors, and they have seven quality starts in their last 10 games. Plus, Rockies starters have a 2.53 ERA over their last 16 games.
Yet the Rockies fell to 19-31 overall after getting swept by the Mets in a doubleheader on Thursday at Citi Field. Over the last 16 games, the Rockies are 7-9.
The problem, of course, is a sputtering offense that’s hitting just .202 on the road, where it’s produced only 12 home runs in 23 games.
Antonio Senzatela, who gave up two runs in four innings in the Rockies’ 4-2 Game 2 loss to the Mets, gave a diplomatic answer when asked if he’s frustrated by the lack of run support as the team continues sliding toward a 100-loss season.
“I think it’s just part of the game,” Senzatela said. “Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose. I just think everybody is trying to do the best that they can. That’s all I’ve got.”
700 Ks. Right-hander German Márquez, who gave up one run over six innings in Colorado’s 1-0 loss in Game 1, stuck out six and now has 702 career strikeouts. He became the sixth Rockies’ pitcher to reach the 700-strikeout plateau. He did it in only 117 games, faster than any pitcher in franchise history,
Not only that, but Márquez also surpassed his hero, former Mariners ace Félix Hernández, for the most strikeouts by a Venezuelan-born pitcher through 120 career games.
“I feel happy,” said Márquez, whose only mistake in his complete game (six innings in a seven-inning game) came on the first pitch of the third, when José Peraza crushed a hanging slider to left field. “Félix Hernández … one of my favorite pitchers in the big leagues. Itap a good feeling to be around those kinds of numbers.”
For the record, the other Rockies pitchers with at least 700 strikeouts while wearing purple are Jorge De La Rosa (985), Ubaldo Jiménez (773), Pedro Astacio (749), Jeff Francis (742) and Jon Gray (740).
