Rockies’ typical shortcomings come together in 73rd loss

Rockies Report, Game 95:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Three of the Rockies’ persistent maladies this season — poor defense, failures with runners in scoring position and a leaky bullpen — came together for loss No. 73, a 4-3 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Saturday afternoon.

Colorado came into Saturday leading Major League Baseball in errors, ranking 29th in batting average with runners in scoring position and sitting 26th in bullpen ERA.

The ninth inning was a perfect storm of all three problems.

Reliever Victor Vodnik failed to record an out as he went for his third save of the season, asked to protect a 3-2 lead. He allowed a single to Spencer Steer and a triple to Will Benson on his first two pitches, quickly evaporating the lead.

Benson’s line drive caromed off the wall back toward center field and past Brenton Doyle, who lost his balance and fell. Left fielder Jordan Beck ultimately retrieved the ball, but not before Benson had reached third base and Steer had crossed home plate with the tying run.

A five-pitch walk to Jake Fraley followed.

Then, the season-long defensive woes came into play, as the game ended with an error — the Rockies’ 80th of the season– when Orlando Arcia bobbled Noelvi Marte’s slow grounder, an unfortunate end to a game that saw Colorado’s infield execute three double plays.

There was no guarantee that Arcia would have nailed Benson at the plate, but after the bobble, there was no chance, sending the throng of 33,663 into delight.

REDS. RALLIED. #ATOBTTR pic.twitter.com/OKS9RZLmYS

— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) July 12, 2025

Just moments earlier, that crowed was dismayed, showering the homestanding Reds with boos after Beck and Michael Toglia opened the ninth inning by reaching base via a walk and a single, respectively.

However, the Rox frittered away the opportunity, as was the case throughout the game. Doyle and Yanquiel Fernandez struck out in short order; Arcia subsequently grounded out, preventing the Rox from expanding their lead.

Those at-bats dropped the Rox to 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position on Saturday. Colorado was 8-for-23 in its other at-bats.

And so it goes for a team that will hit the All-Star break with not even a mathematical chance of reaching 90 wins, let alone 100 — yet another log on the fire of a forgettable season that will actually be long remembered for all the wrong reasons.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

The last time Bradley Blalock started at the major-league level, he was the cannon fodder at the start of the 21-0 annihilation absorbed by the Rox against San Diego.

It went a bit better this time. He came just one out shy of an official “quality start” and was aided by a defense that pulled off two double plays — and added another for reliever Juan Mejia in the eighth.

Groundballs were Blalock’s friend, accounting for 11 of his 17 outs — including the two double plays. He had one strikeout and no walks in his 80-pitch outing.

Blalock’s strikeouts are down this year … but his walks are, too, with a BB/9 rate falling from 5.87 to 2.49 after Saturday’s walk-free-effort. It represents cause for optimism.

His home/road splits are still badly skewed thanks to the May 10 game, but perhaps more chances to change that will come after the All-Star break.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Arcia failed to field Marte’s grounder.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 5 — Number of innings that saw the Rockies’ leadoff batter reach base Saturday. Only one of those yielded runs — the third, when Ryan Ritter brought home Fernandez with a two-run shot.

That's the first one! That's number one! pic.twitter.com/mkDYvWN6I0

— Colorado Rockies (@Rockies) July 12, 2025

WHAT’S NEXT: Austin Gomber looks for his first win of the season in the last game before the All-Star break. Cincinnati counters with Nick Martinez. First pitch will be at 11:40 a.m. MDT.

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