Momentum took a nose dive Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.
Looking to head into the all-star break with their longest winning streak since 2019, the Rockies instead lost 8-3 to the Pirates, who banged out a season-high 16 hits.
The Rockies’ five-game winning streak came to an end as they finished the first half at 43-50. Still, the Rockies won eight of 11 entering the break, leaving them with a positive vibe.
“We’ve been playing a lot of baseball lately, and we have a lot ahead of us after the break, but we have definitely been playing better baseball,” second baseman Brendan Rodgers said. “We went through a little rough patch through that middle patch of the first half, but we have cleaned things up lately.
“All of the guys are picking it well right now and the bats are starting to get going. We are going to continue carrying that over into the second half.”
The Rockies on Sunday completed a gauntlet of 17 consecutive games without a day off. After the break, they face 18 consecutive games without a day off, including a doubleheader at San Diego on Aug. 2. The second half begins Friday when Colorado opens a four-game series at Milwaukee, leaders of the National League Central.
“We are playing better over the past month,” manager Bud Black said. “We’re pitching better, we’re playing good defense and the hitting has come around a little bit. And Kris (Bryant) is back in the lineup, so that’s a good thing.”
But on a 97-degree day, Colorado’s offense took a siesta against a cadre of relievers in a game in which Pittsburgh employed a “bullpen game.” The Rockies managed nine hits but were 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven on base.
In the sixth, Rodgers hit a one-out double and Ryan McMahan scorched a line drive down the first-base line, only to see Michael Chavis flag it down for the second out. After Randal Grichuk walked, Connor Joe grounded out to shortstop to end the would-be rally. Joe is hitting just .203 with runners in scoring position.
Colorado tied the game, 3-3, in the fifth on a leadoff triple by catcher Elias Diaz and a sacrifice fly by Charlie Blackmon. It was Diaz’s third triple of his career and his second in his last 16 games.
But Pirates quickly broke the stalemate, scoring twice in the sixth off rookie right-hander Jake Bird. Jason Delay rocketed a one-out double, Kevin Newman followed with another double and Michael Davis added an RBI single.
Pittsburgh added three runs in the ninth off inconsistent right-hander Carlos Estevez, tagging him for four singles and drawing a walk. Estevez, who was clearly upset with some calls by home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, has a 5.17 ERA.
Black decided to start left-hander Austin Gomber over righty Antonio Senzatela, though Senazela is healthy again. Gomber wasn’t particularly sharp — giving up three runs on seven hits with five strikeouts over five innings, but he did keep the Rockies in the game.
“I thought I had good breaking balls, some good changeups at times,” he said. “I thought I got some weak contact that found some holes. Overall I had pretty good stuff.”
Gomber’s biggest mistakes came in the Pirates’ two-run third inning. He issued a one-out walk to Daniel Vogelbach and a two-out walk to Ben Gamel. The free passes came back to haunt Gomber when Jake Marisnick ripped a two-run double.
