Rockies fall as they await word on Dollander’s right-arm issue

Rockies Report, Game 44:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Chase Dollander left after pitching to two batters in the second inning, and his potential injury and the Rockies’ wait for further evaluation overshadowed what would become a 7-2 series-ending defeat that sealed a losing road swing through Pennsylvania and a fifth-consecutive series loss since a late-April sweep of the New York Mets.

“Just general arm tightness is what we’re gonna roll with right now,” manager Warren Schaeffer told media after the game. “We’ll do some evaluations and check back [Friday].”

Schaeffer said that he wasn’t aware of anything amiss with Dollander until the second inning began, when he gave up a double and a walk in short order with fastball velocity that was down 2-4 MPH from its typical levels.

At that point, it turned into a bullpen game. Brennan Bernardino, Victor Vodnik, Tanner Gordon and Juan Mejia handled the work, with Gordon taking four innings and allowing one earned run — an impressive showing given that he took a red-eye itinerary from Albuquerque to arrive at PNC Park in time for the game.

“Very, very difficult to do, and he did a heck of a job in a much-needed situation for us,” Schaeffer said.

But the Rockies needed more than the five hits that they could muster to keep pace with the Buccos. All of Colorado’s offense came from Troy Johnston, whose fourth-inning double brought in a pair of runs to cut the Pirates’ lead to 6-2. But Jared Triolo added another run via a fifth-inning RBI single for what would prove to be the final margin.

Colorado fell to 17-27.

ROH ROH ROH YOUR BOAT pic.twitter.com/rdg8PA3QYQ

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) May 14, 2026

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

All the Rockies can do now is wait for further evaluation on Dollander, with the ominous diagnosis of right-arm tightness that followed his departure after obvious discomfort on the mound.

“I don’t want to say too much before anything else happens, not to freak myself out or anybody else out,” Dollander said when asked about the concern level he has.

Dollander did say he believed that his arm would undergo some imaging examination when he returns to Denver.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: They couldn’t do anything in the seventh inning following Mickey Moniak’s leadoff walk. Ezequiel Tovar followed with a one-out single, but Edouard Julien ended the opportunity by grounding into a double play.

NUMBER TO NOTE: .786 — Jordan Beck’s OPS this month. He went 1-for-4 on Sunday. His average for the season remains below the Mendoza Line, but he’s hitting .250 in May.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Rockies return home for the first of four series this season against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Merrill Kelly and Kyle Freeland face off in a duel of struggling starters. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. MDT. “Can’t wait to get home,” Schaeffer said.

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