Rockies pound out 15 hits, but it’s far from enough against relentless Rays

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 113:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Jake McCarthy, Mickey Moniak and Hunter Goodman were all in the Rockies’ lineup Monday night against the Tampa Bay Rays. At the day’s dawn, that didn’t seem to be the most likely possibility. And they combined to drive in four runs against the team with the American League’s best record — two for McCarthy and Moniak and one for Goodman.

There was support from throughout the lineup, too, as the Rockies — as is their wont — kept chopping away and accumulated seven runs in the final three innings, including a four-run ninth. Ezequiel Tovar went 4-for-4 with a homer, and increased his batting average from .193 back over the Mendoza Line to .202.

But the problem was the Tampa Bay Rays, who pounded away at starter Michael Lorenzen and reliever Tanner Gordon from start to finish. Only two of the nine innings passed without a Rays baserunner crossing the plate, as they sprinted to a 7-0 lead and never let off the gas at the plate en route to a 13-9 win in front of 19,598 at Coors Field on Monday night.

Much of the damage was done at the expense of starter Michael Lorenzen, who fell behind 2-0 three batters in after giving up a 2-run homer to Junior Caminero — who also went yard at the expense of Tanner Gordon, who pitched the final six innings in relief.

Gordon was able to keep his pitch count down, working efficiently and getting through those innings in 58 pitches. However, the Rays kept jackhammering away. Gordon allowed one hit in his first four innings of work — the Caminero homer — but was tagged for seven hits in the final three innings.

But Colorado’s offense eventually got going. After mustering two runs off seven hits against Rays starter Ian Seymour over the first six innings, Troy Johnston’s leadoff double in the seventh launched the Rockies to seven runs on eight hits in the final three innings, highlighted by a Moniak homer in the eighth inning and the first four Colorado batters in the ninth reaching base. All scored, with the final two coming on sacrifice flies, as the Rays began trading runs for outs.

Moniak’s homer came just hours after word broke of his two-year, $16.25-million contract extension.

They had a 13-5 cushion heading into the ninth before Colorado added four runs to briefly bring doubt into the contest before the fly-ball outs.

Colorado fell to 45-68.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

“I just didn’t think he was in the zone enough; that was all,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. “Behind in counts, that’s a good hitting team, so, when you’re behind in counts to a really good hitting team, it’s probably not going to go that well — especially here at Coors Field.”

The tone for that was set by Tampa Bay center fielder Cedric Mullins, who worked a 12-pitch at-bat immediately after Caminero’s first-inning homer. Lorenzen got him to fly out to right field, but his at-bat was the top example of Tampa Bay’s batters spoiling one pitch after another, grinding down the Rockies right-hander.

“They put a lot of balls in play, a lot of foul balls, worked deep into counts, and then eventually I’d make a mistake and they would get it,” Lorenzen said.

Tampa Bay also attacked Lorenzen and Goodman, stealing three bases at their expense.

“It seems like they stole [a base] every time I threw a breaking ball,” Lorenzen said. “So, I’ll look into that a little bit. I don’t know if it’s obvious breaking-ball counts or if I’m tipping [pitches] or what, but, yeah, I’m not a guy who likes to give up stolen bases, and I gave up a few tonight.”

Lorenzen’s season-long record fell to 3-10.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Richie Palacios added a two-run homer for the Rays in the top of the ninth, extending Tampa Bay’s lead to 13-5. Without that, Colorado would have brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 9.12 — Lorenzen’s home ERA this season after giving up seven earned runs over three innings Monday night.

WHAT’S NEXT: Gabriel Hughes gets the call for the second game of the series; Tampa Bay’s starter is officially to be determined. First pitch Tuesday night is set for 6:40 p.m. MDT at Coors Field.

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