California Dreamin' Turns into Rockies' Nightmare

Past Week
- LAD Score w-: Standings
Thur @StL 9-7 80-67 2nd, -1 1/2
Fri @StL 3-0 81-67 2nd, -1/2
Sat @StL 17-4 82-67 1st, +1/2
Sun @StL 0-5 82-68 2nd, -1/2
Mon Col 8-2 83-68 1st, +1/2
Tues Col 3-2 (10) 84-68 1st, +1 1/2
Wedn Col 5-2 85-68 1st, +1 1/2
Colo
Thur Ari 10-3 81-65 1st, +1 1/2
Fri @SF 0-2 81-66 1st, +1/2
Sat @SF 0-3 81-67 2nd, -1/2
Sun @SF 3-2 82-67 1st, +1/2
Mon @LAD 2-8 82-68 2nd, -1/2
Tue @LAD 2-3 (10) 82-69 2nd, -1 1/2
Wedn @LAD 2-5 82-7 2nd, -2 1/2
Ariz Score Rec
Thur @Col 3-10 77-70 3rd, -4 1/2
Fri @Hou 4-2 78-70 3rd, -3 1/2
Sat @Hou 4-10 78-71 3rd, -4
Sun @Hou 4-5 78-72 3rd, -4 1/2
Mon ChC 1-5 78-73 3rd, -5
Tue ChC 1-9 78-74 3rd, -6
Wed ChC 9-0 79-74 3rd, -6

The Rockies embarked on their final road trip of the season — three games each against the Giants, Dodgers and Diamondbacks — in control of their own destiny in the NL West.

Two-thirds of the way through the trip, and the Rockies are looking for a way to survive. They have fallen 2 1/2 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West with 10 games to play, the biggest deficit the Rockies have faced since aug. 10.

And that’s not all. They also have fallen 1 1/2 games back of the Cardinals in quest for the second NL wild-card spot.

The Dodgers have taken charge, winning six of seven games during the week, including a just-completed sweep of the Rockies — the first time this season the Rockies have been swept in a road series this year.

The Rockies and Diamondbacks, meanwhile, are both 2-5 in the last week. And the Diamonbacks find themselves facing elimination in the NL West with any combination of Dodgers wins and Arizona losses combining to total four, and in fifth place in the bid for a wild-card spot

The Dodgers look at a regular-season ending schedule that has them slipping a three-game visit to Arizona next week in between a three-game series at Dodger Stadium this weekend with the Padres, the last-place team in the NL West, and a season-ending visit to San Francisco, the fourth-place team in the NL West.

Arizona hosts the Rockies this weekend and the Dodgers starting Monday, and then finish up at San Diego. The Rockies have 10 games remaining, all against teams that have yet to be eliminated from post-season opportunities — three at Arizona, and then returning to Coors Field four games against the Phillies, and three against the Nationals.

What kind of a week has it been for the Rockies? Well, last Friday and Saturday in San Francsico, they were shut out in back-to-back games for the first time this season. In the six games on the West Coast they have scored nine runs — three in three games in San Francisco and six in the three game at Dodger Stadium.

A week ago, the Rockies controlled their own destiny. Today? It’s out of their control. It’s no longer good enough for the Rockies to simply win. They need the Dodgers and the Cardinals to lose.

West Coast nightmare

Day Opponent W/L RISP Stdg GB Win Loss Save
Friday at Giants L 0-2 0-1 1 up 0.5 Stratton Anderson
Saturday at Giants L 0-3 0-10 2 0.5 Bumgarner Marquez Smith
Sunday at Giants W 3-2 1-6, 3 RBI 1 up 0.5 Senzatela Rodriguez Davis
Monday at Dodgers L 2-8 2-5, 2 RBI 2 0.5 Ryu Gray
Tuesday at Dodgers L 2-3 (10) 0-8 2 1.5 Floro Ottavino
Wednesday at Dodgers L 2-5 1-7, 2 RBI 2 2.5 Ferguson Oberg Jansen
Totals .148 BA 1-5 4-27 7 RBI 2 2.5

It is not a matter that the Rockies have just been shutdown. No, it’s more a case of the fact the Rockies have not been able to cash in on opportunities. Yes, they have only four hits with runners in scoring position, but that means they have had 36 at-bats with a runner in scoring position in which they failed to get a hit with a runner in scoring position.

“We have to start scoring runs, for sure,” said manager Bud Black. “We have to continue to pitch well, but the offense has to pick it up the last 10 games.”

Player G AB H RBI BB SO AVG OBP SLG
Antonio Senzatela 1 2 1 2 0 1 .500 .500 .500
Ian Desmond 3 4 1 2 0 0 .250 .250 .250
DJ LeMahieu 4 6 1 2 0 0 .167 .143 .167
Nolan Arenado 5 7 1 1 0 2 .143 .143 .143
Drew Butera 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Noel Cuevas 1 2 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
David Dahl 3 2 0 0 1 0 .000 .333 .000
Carlos Gonzalez 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Garrett Hampson 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Matt Holliday 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Chris Iannetta 2 1 0 0 3 1 .000 .750 .000
Ryan McMahon 2 2 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
Gerardo Parra 2 3 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
Trevor Story 1 2 0 0 0 1 .000 .000 .000
Raimel Tapia 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Tony Wolters 1 1 0 0 0 0 .000 .000 .000
Charlie Blackmon 2 0 0 0 3 0 - 1.000 -

But, then, it’s not like the Rockies have been an offensive machine, even without runners in scoring position. They have hit a combined .158 in the six games at San Francisco and Los Angeles, striking out 54 times while managing only 45 baserunners — 30 hits and 15 walks.

Big O in Offense

Opponent Score AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB IBB SO AVG
at Giants 0-2 33 2 4 0 0 1 1 5 0 9 .121
at Giants 0-3 33 2 4 0 0 0 2 1 0 16 .121
at Giants 3-2 32 0 7 2 0 0 0 1 0 7 .219
at Dodgers 2-8 32 3 7 1 0 0 3 4 1 9 .219
at Dodgers 2-3 (10) 31 2 6 1 0 0 2 2 0 6 .194
at Dodgers 2-5 29 0 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 7 .069
Totals 190 9 30 4 0 1 8 15 1 54 .158

And that explains why the Rockies not only were swept in a road series for the first time this year, when they went winless in Los Angeles, but have ensured themselves of only their fourth losing road trip of the season. The big question right now is whether they can win a game in Arizona, which would set a franchise record with 42 road wins.

Road Weary

Dates Opponent Opponent Opponent W-L
March 29-April 5 D-Backs, 1-2 Padres, 3-1 4-3
April 12-18 Nationals, 3-1 Pirates, 2-1 5-2
April 27-May 6 Marlins, 1-2 Cubs, 2-1 Mets, 3-0 6-3
May 14-23 Padres, 1-1 Giants, 2-2 Dodgers, 1-2 4-5
June5-6 Reds, 2-1 2-1
June 12-17 Phillies, 1-2 Rangers, 1-2 2-4
June 26-July 1 Giants, 1-2 Dodgers, 2-1 3-3
July 6-8 Mariners, 2-1 2-1
July 20-22 D-backs, 2-1 2-1
July 30-Aug. 5 Cardinals, 1-3 Brewers, 1-2 2-5
Aug. 14-19 Astros, 1-1 Braves, 4-0 5-1
Aug. 27-Sept. 2 Angels, 1-1 Padres, 2-2 3-3
Sept. 14-19 Giants, 1-2 Dodgers, 0-3 D-backs, TBD 1-5
41-37










Scooter the BeerguyComment