Rockies undone by errors, fall to 8-41, drop franchise-record 19th consecutive series

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 49:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: It was an all-too-familiar script that the Rockies followed Wednesday night.

A starting pitcher found himself in trouble early. An error exacerbated matters. And the Rockies dug themselves an early hole.

This time, the Rox briefly scratched their way back to a tie score after two innings thanks to RBI singles from Hunter Goodman and Adael Amador.

But then the Phillies walloped rookie Carson Palmquist during his second time through the order, as home runs from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper on consecutive pitches to lead off the third inning sent Colorado on a path to a 9-5 loss in front of 23,421 at Coors Field.

The defeat sealed Colorado’s franchise-record 19th consecutive series loss dating back to last September. The Rockies have been outscored 25-12 in the series so far.

With three errors to take Colorado’s tally to a MLB-worst 43, it was another error-strewn game for a defense that owner Dick Monfort said during the winter had a chance to be “the best defense, maybe, in the history of the game.”

In Monfort’s defense, the Rockies haven’t had their expected starting infield, as second baseman Thairo Estrada has spent the entire season to date on the injured list.

But being dead last in fielding percentage and leading MLB with errors — that nevertheless is yet another kick in the teeth for a club whose success equation rode on its defense being among the sport’s best.

Wednesday night, catcher Hunter Goodman’s errant throw on an attempted double steal in the first inning brought home the game’s first run; it was his fifth of the season.

Right fielder Mickey Moniak’s bobble as he attempted to handle J.T. Realmuto’s double off the wall in the third inning was error No. 2; as that happened, Nick Castellanos came home with the Phillies’ sixth run. The Phillies tacked on another run in the fifth and two more in the sixth.

A third error came when Kyle Farmer threw to second instead of going to first base on a play in the seventh inning.

Colorado dropped to 8-41. No team in the modern era has ever held that record after 49 games. Even with a win Thursday, the Rockies will still have the worst modern-era 50-game start, matching the 1904 Washington Senators.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Carson Palmquist received a rough welcome in his first Coors Field start — and while he benefitted from a spectacular catch of a line drive by Amador to get out of a rough third inning, he was also hurt by two of the aforementioned errors.

He got the first two strikeouts of his major-league career, both at the expense of Kyle Schwarber. But the Phillies blasted him during the second time through the order, going 5-for-8 with a walk, a double and two home runs.

“I saw a guy that was battling. He faced a tough lineup, he just left too many balls over the plate,” interim manager Warren Schaeffer said.

BITS AND PIECES

ROCKIES NUMBER TO NOTE: 5 — Years it has been since any team had 43 errors in the first 50 games of a season; Colorado got there in 49.

NOTES: First baseman Michael Toglia, mired in a strikeout-heavy funk, received the night off … Nick Martini logged his first home run of the season, working in the No. 8 spot as the designated hitter; he also notched a double to the Bridich Barrier in the ninth inning … Goodman had 2 RBI, one in the first inning and another in the ninth, in a 2-for-5 night … Left fielder Jordan Beck bounced back from an 0-for-5 performance Tuesday with two hits.

WHAT’S NEXT: Germán Márquez takes to the mound as Colorado tries to salvage the series finale. First pitch for the matinee is at 1:10 p.m. MDT.

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