Mayday! Mayday! It’s been a month of distress for the Rockies, and starter Michael Lorenzen in particular.
The veteran right-hander gave up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings Sunday afternoon in the Rockies’ 8-6 loss to the Diamondbacks at Coors Field. The game was delayed 1 hour and 45 minutes because of heavy rain.
“I feel great physically,” said Lorenzen, now 2-7 with a 7.03 ERA. “The results are just horrendous, and I need to figure it out because it’s just unacceptable. To be this deep in the season and have these types of results on a consistent basis is unacceptable.”
In five starts at Coors Field, Lorenezen has a 10.03 ERA with a .414 batting average against, a 2.44 WHIP, and five home runs given up.
Asked if the “Coors Field puzzle” is more difficult than he expected, he replied: “I don’t care if it’s Mars, I need to figure it out.”
Trailing 8-2 after seven innings, the Rockies scored four runs in the eighth, getting RBI singles from Jake McCarthy and Kyle Karros to make things interesting. As manager Warren Schaeffer said, again, the team showed fight, but the bottom line remains that Colorado has regressed this month.
In March and April, the rebuilding Rockies posted an encouraging 14-18 record, but they are 4-11 so far in May and have been outscored 99-62. Rockies starters are 1-10 with a 7.77 ERA in May.
Schaeffer continues to back Lorenzen, but acknowledged that the right-hander struggled on Sunday when he gave up six of seven runs with two outs and frequently fell behind hitters.
“Not great count control, bad counts, two-out walks hurt him,” Schaeffer said. “Probably not what he wanted today, in terms of controlling the strike zone.”
Away from Coors Field, Lorenzen is 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA in six games (five starts).
“I’m not concerned (of the home-road) splits because of who Mike is,” Schaeffer said. “He’s a solution finder. If that’s the case, he knows about it, and he will find work to not make that a thing.”
There are several Rockies who have regressed this month, most especially second baseman Edouard Julien, who was 0 for 5 with two strikeouts from the leadoff spot on Sunday as his average dipped to .227. Julien claimed the leadoff spot when he hit .324 in 23 games in March/April, but he’s hitting .075 (3 for 40) with a .159 on-base percentage in 13 games in May.
“Eddie is going through a little something right now,” Schaeffer said. “I can’t put my finger on (anything), but when Eddie is going good, he’s taking his walks. He hasn’t been doing that lately. But I have full confidence that Eddie, next game, will turn it right around.”
McCarthy, hitting seventh, went 2 for 4 with an RBI Sunday, boosting his average to .300. In 19 games since April 19, he’s slashed .385/420/.646 with five doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 15 RBIs.
Asked if the speedy McCarthy might provide a boost at the top of the order, Schaeffer replied, “There is always an opportunity for Jake at the top because of who he is and how he is swinging the bat. But we like Eddie, too. It’s good to have multiple people that you like.”
Pitching probables
Monday: Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-3, 4.50 ERA) at Rockies LHP Jose Quintana (1-2, 3.79), 6:40 p.m.
Tuesday: Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (1-4, 4.34) at Rockies TBA, 6:40 p.m.
Wednesday: Rangers RHP Jack Leiter (1-4, 4.35) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-5, 7.22), 1:10 p.m.
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM
