Senzatela's Dodger struggles continue

Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela went through his usual anguish against the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, a place that has become a horror chamber for him and his team.

About the best that can be said of Senzatela, who gave up three home runs and five runs (four earned) in a 7-0 loss, is he didn’t go quietly. Quickly, maybe, since he lasted just 2 2/3 innings. But not quietly -- certainly not as silently as an offense that managed only two Garrett Hampson hits and was shut out for the second straight game.

The homers were gone. Corey Seager and Chris Taylor went deep consecutively in the first, and Mookie Betts blasted to open the third to raise Senzatela’s misery to 10 homers in 26 2/3 career innings in the ballpark. Tuesday’s struggle came one start after Senzatela held the D-backs scoreless for eight frames in an 8-0 Rockies win last Wednesday.

“I just made three mistakes, and they hit them pretty good,” Senzatela said. “If I make mistakes against this team, they for sure hit them out.”

Still, Senzatela felt he had a chance to turn this outing around.

With the Rockies trailing, 3-0, Senzatela still saw hope with two down in the third inning when home-plate umpire Tom Hallion ruled his borderline full-count pitch to Will Smith a ball.

Senzatela yelled to Hallion.

“One slider the umpire didn’t give to me -- it was right down the middle,” Senzatela said.

Still not out of the inning two batters later, pitching coach Steve Foster and catcher Elias Díaz prolonged a visit until Hallion came to the mound to break up the conference -- giving Senzatela a chance to state his case one more time.

“Like all players, you get a little emotional when it’s a little bit of a crisis and it’s hot,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “You know that each pitch hinges on potential danger.

“I liked the fact that he showed a little fire. He does that. He’s a competitor.”

Nothing was left to say when shortstop Trevor Story’s throwing error let in another run and Senzatela departed. Ultimately, Senzatela will have to do more than protest calls to reverse his rough numbers -- 0-4, 7.57 ERA in seven games (six starts) at Chavez Ravine; 3-5, 7.08 in 12 career games (10 starts) anywhere vs. the Dodgers. On April 3, Senzatela yielded nine hits and seven runs in 3 1/3 innings in an 11-6 loss to the Dodgers.

“They had some good swings against Senza tonight on pitches that weren't properly located,” Black said.

With Trevor Bauer holding the Rockies to one hit in seven innings -- after holding them hitless until the seventh when he opposed Senzatela at Coors Field on April 2 -- the call ultimately didn’t matter. While going 0-4 on their first road trip of the season, the Rockies have scored four runs in 36 innings.

A different call might have bought Senzatela more time on the mound, but he still had the home runs to lament.

“I made too many mistakes early in the game, so they hit it out real quick,” Senzatela said. “It’s all on me, making mistakes early. I put myself in bad situations.”