Rockies crumble in ninth inning, lose 2-run lead in 7-6 loss to Cardinals

DENVER — Rockies Report, Game 141:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: In the ninth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Rockies were their own worst enemies.

Closer Jordan Romano’s leadoff walk to Nathan Church led off the inning, Connor Norby’s throwing error put Church and Jose Fermín into scoring position, and then Iván Herrera ensured that both wobbles would come back to haunt the Rox, launching a Romano slider that settled in the middle of the strike zone 430 feet into the center-field stands, sentencing Colorado to a 7-6 defeat Friday in front of 28,580 at Coors Field.

Romano, who has been reliable since assuming the closer role in early July, had converted 10 of 11 save opportunities prior to Friday night. But it wasn’t just him, thanks to Norby’s error which came just after he fielded Fermín’s high chopper to third base. Colorado couldn’t counter in the ninth inning, with TJ Rumfield reaching base on a two-out single. Pinch runner Ryan Ritter reached second when pitcher Riley O’Brien misfired on a pickoff throw, but Cole Carrigg — who delivered a second-inning triple and a thrilling sixth-inning inside-the-park homer — struck out.

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“If you tell me tomorrow night we can run it back the same way it happened, start the ninth inning with Romano coming into the game with a two-run lead, I’ll take it every day. In fact, I hope it happens tomorrow,” Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said.

St. Louis’ ninth-inning comeback ensured that the Rockies’ own rally was moot.

Trailing 4-1, the Rockies began working through the Cardinals bullpen in the sixth inning, as manager Oli Marmol asked Hancel Rincon to make his major-league debut at Coors Field — against the heart of the Rockies’ order. It didn’t go well for the Redbirds.

Hunter Goodman opened the inning with a hard line drive that Bryan Torres snared for the first out. But one pitch later, Rumfield launched a Rincon offering off the right-field scoreboard, and after Jordan Walker misplayed it, it turned into a triple. Rumfield scored on a wild pitch to Carrigg, who subsequently launched a Rincon fastball that settled squarely in the middle of the strike zone off the Bridich Barrier in right-center field. Church misplayed the carom, and Carrigg sprinted all the way around to score.

The Rockies weren’t done in the sixth at that point. Norby singled, chasing Rincon, but the attack continued against left-hander Justin Bruihl, as Troy Johnston doubled, and then Adael Amador hit an RBI single to right field. Zac Veen brought home the final run of the inning by laying down a sacrifice bunt in front of home plate; Bruihl attempted to throw Johnston out at home plate, but failed.

Rumfield crushed his 15th homer of the season in the seventh inning, but that was the end of the Rockies’ output for the evening.

Colorado fell to 54-87 and saw its two-game winning streak end.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Soft contact ensured that Ryan Feltner’s night didn’t go the way he wanted as he made his first start since dealing with an illness last Saturday.

Feltner labored through a 32-pitch second inning, giving up a walk, two singles — including one to Nolan Gorman that scored Leo Bernal from second base — and a Thomas Saggese RBI double that took a weird hop, freezing second baseman Adael Amador before dribbling into the outfield. But he limited the damage to two runs by rallying to induce a harmless fly ball to left field for the second out before winning an eight-pitch battle with Bryan Torres to end the inning, freezing him with a changeup.

Then Feltner sailed through the next two innings — allowing only a leadoff walk — before yielding a leadoff single to Nathan Church and a six-pitch walk to Torres to open the inning. One pitch later, shortstop Cole Carrigg failed to corral Iván Herrera’s ground ball as he moved to his right; it was ruled a single to load the bases. A soft groundball single from Alec Burleson that barely escaped the infield and was eventually fielded by Carrigg then scored Church; the ball arrived too slowly for Carrigg to make any play.

The night ended with a no-decision thanks to the sixth-inning rally; Feltner finished the night with a deceptive seven hits allowed over five innings and 95 pitches.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Carrigg struck out with the tying run on second base.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 7 — Number of hits from the 3-4-5 spots in the lineup, as Rumfield, Carrigg and Norby went 7-for-13 with a walk.

WHAT’S NEXT: Mason Adams looks for his first major-league win; Matthew Liberatore starts for St. Louis. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. MDT.

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