In 6 pitches, Jake Bird’s recent struggles come to a head as Rockies fall

Rockies Report, Game 86:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Reliever Jake Bird, for so long this season Colorado’s most reliable bullpen arm, couldn’t wiggle the Rockies out of a two-out, two-on jam in the sixth inning, allowing four consecutive Astros to reach base and a decisive three runs to cross the plate to doom the Rox to a 5-3 loss Wednesday night at Coors Field.

Angel Chivilli, who opened the sixth inning in relief of starter Austin Gomber and allowed a single and a walk while retiring a pair of batters, officially took the loss to fall to 1-4.

But the inning was defined by the frustrations for Bird, who just under three weeks ago looked to be headed for the All-Star Game, but has struggled ever since yielding a game-tying, three-run homer to struggling Braves center fielder Michael Harris II in a 12-4 defeat at Atlanta on June 13.

Bird entered that night with a 1.41 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP.

Since then, regression has hit him like a two-by-four to the back of the head; his ERA is 8.10 and his WHIP is 2.20.

It came to a head Wednesday.

First, Bird plunked Jake Meyers on his second pitch to load the bases. One pitch later, Jose Altuve turned on a curveball that caught the outside of the zone, driving it to center field and bringing home two runs.

He does it!

Jose Altuve is now 2nd in the Astros all time hit list. pic.twitter.com/ZNJVGcTjWp

— Houston Astros (@astros) July 3, 2025

Misfortune — and a baseball — struck Bird on the next pitch, when Cam Smith’s line drive drilled him in the leg, scoring Meyers from third base. A Christian Walker single followed two pitches later, but an out on the basepath allowed Bird to escape.

Colorado was able to get one run back in the ninth after Brenton Doyle and Michael Toglia led off with base hits, but only Doyle came home after Kyle Farmer ground into a 4-6-3 to squelch hopes of a potential big inning.

Colorado fell to 19-67. The Astros improved to 43-1 when leading after eight innings.

Rookie Yanquiel Fernandez made his debut after being called up Tuesday.

He went 0-for-3 at the plate but showed off his plus arm in the seventh inning, firing from deep in the right-field corner a 9-to-4-to-2 play to gun down Cooper Hummel at the plate.

You've heard about his bat, but how 'bout his arm? pic.twitter.com/rFpoN2b7MP

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 3, 2025

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Gomber found himself in damage-control mode early, as the Astros’ barrage began with a double and a pair of singles to put them on the board in the first inning. A Shay Whitcomb homer extended the lead in the second inning.

There were no clean innings for Gomber, although he would have had one in the third if not for a Ryan Ritter error. He allowed eight hits and a walk over five innings of work, and was relieved after 78 pitches.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Tyler Freeman struck out with Ritter on third in the bottom of the ninth, an unfortunate end to a three-hit night for Colorado’s leadoff hitter.

NUMBER TO NOTE: .555 — Houston’s average with runners in scoring position Wednesday, as the Astros went 5-for-9, while the Rockies were 1-for-8.

WHAT’S NEXT: Kyle Freeland looks for his second win of the season in the series finale. Houston will start Brandon Walter. First pitch is at 1:10 p.m. MDT.

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