Rockies narrowly avoid no-hitter, inch closer to 100 losses
Sep 19, 2023, 10:36 PM
Last Friday, the Colorado Rockies carried a combined no-hitter into the eighth inning before finally succumbing — although they rallied for a 3-2, walk-off win over the San Francisco Giants at Coors Field.
Four days later, they narrowly avoided being no-hit.
In what ended up being a 2-0 loss at Petco Park, the San Diego Padres took a combined no-hitter into the ninth inning. Likely Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell mowed down the Rockies in the first seven innings, with Robert Suarez retiring the Rockies 1-2-3 in the eighth.
But Padres closer Josh Hader lost it in the ninth when Brendan Rodgers eked a base hit to shallow left center field. Nolan Jones followed two batters later with a single to left field. However, the threat petered out when Elias Díaz hit into a 6-4-3 double play.
Xander Bogaerts ended matters in the bottom of the ninth with a 2-out, 2-run that just snuck over the left-field fence off Colorado’s Tyler Kinley, providing all of the offense for the evening.
The loss was the Rockies’ third in succession after a five-game winning streak that was their longest since July 2022. They took two of three from the Chicago Cubs and three of four from the Giants — including a doubleheader sweep that was their first in nine years.
But after that burst, the frustration returned for the young Rockies.
The positive development for the Rockies was Ryan Feltner’s work in his first start since suffering a skull fracture in Philadelphia four months ago. Feltner’s four-seam fastball averaged 96 miles per hour as he pitched five scoreless innings. He mixed six different pitches during his appearance, giving the injury-shredded Rockies rotation a ray of hope.
But it wasn’t enough, as the Rockies’ bats remained silent.
They must now go at least 7-4 to avert the first 100-loss campaign in their 31-season history.
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