Rockies bullpen collapses, squandering first quality start of season

DENVER — Unfortunately for the Colorado Rockies, their bullpen has picked up where it left off last year.

Given a 6-1 cushion thanks to starter Ryan Feltner’s stellar 6 innings of work, Colorado’s relievers allowed a parade of baserunners and 7 runs over the seventh and eighth innings to turn a potential 2-game winning streak into a brutal 8-6 loss at a windswept Coors Field on Saturday night.

Saturday’s loss came on the heels of a near-collapse by the Rockies bullpen late Friday afternoon. In that game, closer Justin Lawrence failed to hold a 6-2 lead in the ninth inning. Jalen Beeks picked up the slack to get the Rockies out of the ninth inning Friday without any further damage, and Ryan McMahon’s ninth-inning grand slam ensured that the misadventures didn’t result in defeat.

But the Rockies weren’t so fortunate this time. Jake Bird surrendered two runs in the seventh inning before Tyler Kinley and Jalen Beeks struggled in the eighth. Collectively, Bird, Kinley and Beeks allowed 9 baserunners while recording just five outs.

“Everybody knows it’s tough to pitch here, that’s a given. But in the end, I’ve still gotta do my job, and I failed at it today,” said Beeks, who was tagged with the loss. “In the end I’ve just gotta figure out how to stay in the zone and get guys out.”

Lawrence relieved Beeks and came within an eyelash of redemption. Brought in with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth after Tyler Kinley and Jalen Weeks had already conceded 3 runs to tie the score, Lawrence quickly went up 0-2 on Tampa Bay’s Yandy Diaz.

But Diaz lashed a ground ball directly at Michael Toglia, playing first base in the final innings while Kris Bryant sat out due to back tightness. The ball ate up Toglia and skidded into right field, scoring two runs to create the final 8-6 margin.

The loss dropped the Rockies to 2-7.

BEFORE THE ROCKIES BULLPEN STRUGGLED RYAN FELTNER WAS DEALING

Feltner missed four months after suffering a fractured skull last year, returning to make two starts in the season’s final weeks. He has been effective so far this season, allowing 4 earned runs over 11 innings to this point, including his stout 6 innings of work on Saturday night.

“I was attacking early in the zone with the 2-seam and the 4-seam, and I think that sets up my other stuff nicely,” Feltner said.

After allowing a run in the top of the first inning, Feltner settled down, allowing just two baserunners in his final 5 innings of work. He struck out a career-high 10, the most for a Rockies pitcher since Kyle Freeland on Aug. 21, 2021.

“I had a lot of things working. I felt good with all my pitches and just attacking the zone,” Feltner said. “Strikeouts are kind of like home runs for hitters; you don’t really try to get them, but if you’re doing the right things, they’ll come along.”