Rockies swept in second straight series after blowing 5-3 lead to Dodgers

In the seventh inning on Thursday night, the Rockies were in unfamiliar territory; holding a two-run lead over the Dodgers in Chavez Ravine. Yency Almonte relieved starter Austin Gomber, who gave the Rockies a chance to win for the third time in his three starts, and it appeared that the Rockies might snap their five-game losing streak and steal at least one win on a disappointing road trip.

Instead, Almonte’s control vanished as he walked two Dodgers before serving up a three-run, devastating home run to Max Muncy, giving the Dodgers a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish in what became longtime starter David Price’s first save in 325 career major-league appearances.

Gomber, who allowed three runs in six innings to an explosive Dodgers lineup, deserved better. The centerpiece of the Nolan Arenado trade, Gomber has allowed only six runs in 15 1/3 innings and a respectable 3.53 ERA this season, but has yet to earn a win in a Rockies uniform.

Strangely, despite having Gomber’s sweeping, 12-6 curveball that would play far better at sea-level Los Angeles than at mile-high Denver at his disposal, manager Bud Black sat both shortstop Trevor Story and outfielder Charlie Blackmon — by far the Rockies’ two highest-paid players — despite the team’s off-day on Monday. The obvious loss of offensive punch was expected and confounding, potentially costing the Rockies a rare chance to win against the dominant Dodgers.

Perhaps Black and the Rockies will be more willing to put what passes as their best lineup forward against the Mets this weekend. Then again, as snow blanketed the Denver area prior to the Rockies’ return from their hapless, 0-6 road trip, the struggling Story (.260 batting average) and Blackmon (.154) may get even more time off on Friday.

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NEXT UP: Rockies (3-10, 5th in NL West) vs. Mets (5-3, 1st, NL East) | Friday, Apr. 16 at 6:40 p.m. | COL: Chi Chi Gonzalez (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs LAD: Jacob DeGrom (0-1, 0.64 ERA)

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NOTES

• The Rockies’ 3-10 start ties the worst-ever start 13 games in, matching the 2019 and 2005 teams.

• After only 13 games of the season, the Rockies already find themselves eight games out of first place in the NL West.

• The Rockies will have a hard time keeping their losing streak from reaching seven Friday against two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob DeGrom, who sports a 0.64 ERA and has a 21-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 14 innings pitched for the Mets this season.

• After a 2-for-4 game game with a double and a home run, Ryan McMahon now leads the Rockies in hits (15), doubles (4), home runs (6), RBI (10), total bases (37), batting average (.306), on-base percentage (.320), slugging (.755), OPS (1.075) and wins above replacement (1.1).

• Ryan McMahon (1.1) and Chris Owings (0.6) are the only Rockies batters over 0.1 in WAR; eight others are in the negative, led by Charlie Blackmon (-0.4).

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THE FINAL WORD

“You want to help your team win, right? It always feels better hitting homers in games your team wins.” — Ryan McMahon, who hit his team-leading sixth home run of the season Thursday. All six have come in Rockies’ losses.

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INJURY WATCH

• Chris Owings (right hamstring soreness) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 10.
• Kyle Freeland (strained left shoulder) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1. He is expected back in early May.
• Brendan Rodgers (strained right hamstring) was placed on the 10-day IL on Apr. 1.
• Scott Oberg (blood clots) had surgery prior to the end of Spring Training. He was placed on the 60-day IL on Mar. 27 and his season is in doubt.

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STARTING LINEUP

CF Garrett Hampson
LF Raimel Tapia
2B Ryan McMahon
1B C.J. Cron
3B Josh Fuentes
C Elias Diaz
RF Yonathan Daza
SS Alan Trejo
P Austin Gomber

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Shawn Drotar is the host of “The Fan Late Night with Shawn Drotar;” weeknights from 10:00 p.m. to midnight — only on 104.3 The Fan. Follow him on Twitter at @sdrotar.

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