Austin Gomber walks seven and takes the loss in his Rockies debut

Austin Gomber took the mound on Sunday afternoon facing more than a bit of pressure. The only major-league player the Rockies received in the disastrous Nolan Arenado trade was making his debut in front of his new city… and he was facing the defending World Series champs.

Gomber started off the game by walking perennial All-Star Mookie Betts. A.J. Pollock next hit into a fielder’s choice back to Gomber, who made a wild throw to first for an error. Gomber walked Justin Turner to load the bases and then gave Betts a free trip home on a wild pitch.

After only one inning, Gomber walked three batters, threw a wild pitch and committed an error — allowing three runs in the process.

That was all the Dodgers’ Julio Urias needed. Completing seven innings for the first time in his career, Urias shut the Rockies out through all seven, but allowed a run without recording an out on in the eighth. The Rockies rallied for a pair of runs in the eighth, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Dodgers from claiming a 4-2 victory and three of four from the Rockies at Coors.

Gomber, who was pulled after three innings and took the loss, said, “I don’t think I pitched bad, I just didn’t throw strikes.” He’ll try his luck again on Friday at the Giants.

***

NEXT UP: Rockies (1-3, T-4th in NL West) vs. Diamondbacks (1-3, T-4th, NL West) | Tuesday, Apr. 6 at 6:40 p.m. | COL: German Marquez (0-0, 2.25 ERA) vs ARZ: Luke Weaver (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

***

NOTES

• Jon Gray, who left Saturday’s game with “full-body” cramps, is expected to take his regular turn in the rotation on Thursday, manager Bud Black said.

• Josh Fuentes was a late scratch from the lineup with a sore left wrist. Ryan McMahon started at third on Sunday and went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

• C.J. Cron had a day to forget, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

• Yonathan Daza made his first 2021 start of the season in left field, but went 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts on Sunday. Daza, 27, was one of the Rockies’ best players in the Cactus League, and is out of minor-league-options.

• In the four-game series with the Dodgers, the Rockies only hit .222 as a team with 33 strikeouts — more than eight per game.

***

THE FINAL WORD

“I don’t think I pitched bad, I just didn’t throw strikes. I gave up one hit, I walked seven guys in three innings. I don’t think that’s nerves, it just wasn’t my day.” — Rockies starting pitcher Austin Gomber.

***

INJURY WATCH:

• Josh Fuentes (left wrist) missed the Apr. 4 game and is day-to-day.
• Kyle Freeland (strained left shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1. He is expected back in early May.
• Brendan Rodgers (strained right hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1.
• Scott Oberg (blood clots) had surgery prior to the end of Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-day IL on Mar. 27 and his season is in doubt.

***

STARTING LINEUP

2B Chris Owings
CF Garrett Hampson
SS Trevor Story
RF Charlie Blackmon
1B C.J. Cron
C Elias Diaz
3B Ryan McMahon
LF Yonathan Daza
SP Austin Gomber

***

Shawn Drotar is the host of “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar;” weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to midnight — only on 104.3 The Fan. Follow him on Twitter at @sdrotar.

Related

Rockies to call up pitching prospect Mason Adams just weeks after deadline dealBo Nix looked good to Sean Payton in his first appearance back on the fieldSean Payton provides encouraging update on Riley Moss and his rib injuryShedeur Sanders won’t be the Week 1 starter for the BrownsBroncos star CB Pat Surtain II again voted a top-10 player in the NFLThe illusion that the Nuggets are a contender won’t survive the playoffs