As usual, September is the closest Colorado will get to the cold-weather thrills of playoff baseball. The Rockies can try to conjure a little October excitement from time to time, but the real postseason contenders often arrive to put the last-place teams in their place.<\/p>\n
The Rockies coughed up a ninth-inning lead Monday night to drop their series opener 5-4 to the Cubs at Coors Field. Brenton Doyle singled home tying and go-ahead runs in the seventh, but Yan Gomes returned the favor in the top of the ninth, handing Tyler Kinley a blown save and Colorado (51-92) its fifth consecutive loss.<\/p>\n
“This is a good experience for them, to see these types of games,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “And to see what happens, and to see the little things that can turn a game. These are all learning experiences for so many guys.”<\/p>\n
Aside from a three-run seventh, Colorado only mustered four hits as the summer heat and long-fly-ball tendencies of the Front Range chilled out — a reminder that this unflattering 2023 season is almost over. The Rockies have failed to hit a home run in eight of their last nine games.<\/p>\n
They’re playing for pride, prospects and to avoid 100 losses in these final weeks, while the Cubs are jockeying for playoff positioning. Coors sounded like it on Monday night.<\/p>\n
“Witnessing that on the wrong side of it sucks,” starting pitcher Kyle Freeland said. “Knowing that we’re not going to the playoffs, knowing that we’re not close to a hunt for playoffs. It stings.”<\/p>\n
LoDo Wrigley was re-energized when Dansby Swanson’s liner into left-center to lead off the ninth bounced off the glove of a sliding Nolan Jones, resulting in a double. A walk, a double steal and Gomes’ single amplified the Chicago fans.<\/p>\n
“I made a mistake,” Jones said. “The ball should have been caught, and it cost us the game.”<\/p>\n
“Nolan’s a converted infielder to outfielder,” Black said. “We’ve seen that a couple times this year. But we’re going to go through that as he becomes more comfortable as an outfielder.”<\/p>\n
The Rockies actually lucked out from the cool air more than the visitors, who drove a number of hard-hit balls toward the track that might have soared a few feet farther in July. Freeland navigated those loud outs and a couple of jams to produce a solid six-inning, three-run outing. He allowed eight hits, including a go-ahead home run to Christopher Morel in the fifth inning that would have left the yard in below-freezing temps.<\/p>\n
Freeland also worked around an unusual delay. In the top of the third, home plate umpire Brian O’Nora abruptly jogged off the field, through the Rockies dugout. An approximately 15-minute stoppage ensued before second base umpire Tom Hanahan took over calling balls and strikes. O’Nora didn’t return to the game, which proceeded with a three-man crew.<\/p>\n
“He was sick. I think he was throwing up or something,” Freeland said. “It’s never happened to me. I can’t recall ever having a home plate umpire get knocked out, like with a foul ball or anything like that, and have to switch. Not while I’m pitching at least.”<\/p>\n
When the game paused, the Cubs were trying to keep the line moving. Three straight singles to start the inning had tied Colorado 1-1. When action reconvened \u2014 Charlie Blackmon had left his post in right field to hang out in the bullpen \u2014 Freeland escaped. With help. Blackmon made a diving catch in right to possibly save a run, and Cody Bellinger grounded out to end the threat.<\/p>\n
Outfield defense kept Colorado in the game until it didn’t. Jones gunned down an insurance run to end the top of the sixth, keeping the score 3-1; it wasn’t enough, however, to prevent him from feeling like his missed catch was the reason his team lost.<\/p>\n
“To lose this one for us, it hurts,” he said. “It sucks.”<\/p>\n