Rockies sink from bad to worse in absorbing sweep by Tigers

Rockies Report, Games 36 and 37:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: It’s hard to imagine a doubleheader going worse, as Detroit throttled the Rockies on both ends of it.

There was little Colorado did right in falling 10-2 and 11-1 to the American League Central leaders. They were outslugged, outpitched and outfielded.

Over the two games, Detroit had 28 hits; Colorado just nine. Colorado committed five errors in the two games, bringing its season-long total to 31. Detroit had none.

The Rockies’ defense has obviously taken a hit with Gold Glove shortstop Ezequiel Tovar on the injured list due to a lingering hip issue. Colorado had two errors up the middle of the infield in Game 1, one each by Alan Trejo and Adael Amador.

But for a team that was counting on its defense to be a strength, having more errors through 37 games than any other season since 2005 is yet another log on the burning pyre of futility that is a season that continues to flirt with dubious history beyond just the team’s own record book.

ROCKIES STARTERS’ REPORT

Kyle Freeland knows it’s about limiting the damage at Coors Field.

So, with one out in the top of the second inning, a 3-0 deficit and the bases loaded, the veteran knew the assignment: get the ground ball. Myriad double-play possibilities existed.

If Colorado was to have a chance this year, this sort of opportunity was part of the success equation. But as noted earlier, Tovar isn’t at shortstop right now. Trejo is.

Freeland’s sweeper low in the strike zone induced the ground ball required. But Trejo bobbled it, seemingly distracted by Justyn Henry-Malloy running from second to third. Trejo lunged for the ball and came up with precisely bupkis. Trey Sweeney scored from third; the bases remained full; the lead increased to 4-0.

so the second inning was fun 🤩

Tigs lead 7-0! pic.twitter.com/9xYcCdmjA2

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 8, 2025

Instead of being out of the inning, a sacrifice fly and a two-RBI double followed. A 3-0 deficit was 7-0. Two more runs came home in the third, again assisted by an error, this one from Mickey Moniak on a wayward throw back into the infield after a single.

Black mercifully pulled the veteran after three innings, 65 pitches, 11 hits and nine runs — five of which were earned.

Tanner Gordon received the call-up as the 27th man for the doubleheader, and after two scoreless innings, he too found himself paying the price for defensive mishaps — in his case a ball that went through the webbing of Ryan McMahon’s glove. That burst of lousy fortune — ruled an error, officially — came two pitches after a Brewer Hicklen chopper bounced off Gordon’s glove for an infield single to load the bases.

First @MLB hit for @brewerhicklen 👏 pic.twitter.com/otx1dsURQg

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 8, 2025

So, instead of McMahon throwing home and starting a potential 5-2-3 double play, Detroit scored its first run to wipe out Colorado’s fragile 1-0 lead, and the bases remained loaded with no out.

Given how this wretched season has gone, you know what happened next. Gleyber Torres cleared the bases with a line-drive double, Detroit burst in front by a 4-1 margin, and the rout was on. A pair of two-out hits plated two more runs in the inning.

Gleyber clears the bases ‼️ pic.twitter.com/ZQZUwjtrbv

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) May 8, 2025

Gordon settled down and ate three more innings, retiring nine consecutive Tigers at one point before yielding a seventh-inning single and giving way to Tyler Kinley.

Both starters were credited for losses, bringing the record of Colorado starters down to a staggering, mind-numbing 3-21. Whatever you think of the validity of the win stat for pitchers, that is still a horrifying ledger. Among pitchers to start for Colorado, only Ryan Feltner — currently on the injured list — has an ERA below 5.00.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Game 1 was effectively over in the second inning when Spencer Torkelson’s two-RBI double pushed Detroit’s lead to 7-0.

Game 2 saw Colorado have a chance to get back into it after the Tigers’ six-run outburst when the Rox loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the third inning. But Michael Toglia — who went 3-for-4 on Wednesday with a home run and two doubles — hit into a 2-3 double play.

ROCKIES NUMBER TO NOTE: .571 — Detroit’s average with runners in scoring position Thursday, as they went 12-for-21 with RISP during the doubleheader. Colorado, by comparison, went 1-for-9.

QUOTABLE: “Keep believing in us, keep riding.” — an emotional Freeland after dropping to 0-5, the worst start to a season in his major league career

WHAT’S NEXT: Antonio Senzatela — whose 5.50 ERA is the best among Rox starters not on the injured list — gets the nod as as Colorado begins a three-game series against San Diego. The Rox went 4-3 against the Padres at Coors Field last year. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m. MDT.

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