With regulars out, state of lineup's depth on display

PHOENIX -- The Rockies did not have first baseman C.J. Cron available for the first time all season. They also missed shortstop José Iglesias. Manager Bud Black noted that they have to “win those games. … Today it didn’t happen.”

Kris Bryant continued what seems a growing effort to place the team on his shoulders with a first-inning solo shot, his third homer in two games and fourth of the road trip. But the balance of the Rockies’ depleted lineup couldn’t solve the D-backs' Madison Bumgarner in a 9-2 loss at Chase Field on Saturday afternoon.

Wins Thursday and Friday assured the Rockies (37-48) of a split in the four-game series, and a victory Sunday would pull them out of sole possession of last place in the National League West and back into a tie with the D-backs.

Although they’ve generally played improved baseball within the division over the last month, Saturday served as a reminder that the Rockies need to be deeper to climb higher. The club sank in the division when it could not absorb Bryant's lengthy absence with a back injury.

Cron sat because he was hit on the left wrist with a 94.4 mph fastball from Zac Gallen on Friday night, and Iglesias left that game with dizziness after a home-plate collision. The good news was neither player appeared headed to the injured list.

It is possible the result would have been the same with a healthy roster. While Bumgarner is not the force he was with the World Series champion Giants a few years back, he continued his solid year by holding the Rockies to two runs in seven innings.

“It was more about Bumgarner shutting us down,” Black said.

Yonathan Daza, who managed a fourth-inning single, said the Bumgarner he saw on TV when he was a young Minor Leaguer “was nasty at that time. But today? He just makes good pitches. He doesn’t miss a lot. But his velocity is up more consistently than last year, and his pitches are moving better.”

Colorado starter Kyle Freeland kicked himself for not keeping the momentum. Limited lapses marred both his starts on the road trip. On Monday, in the opener of a three-game sweep at the hands of the Dodgers, Freeland was perfect through the first four innings but gave up a three-run homer to Trayce Thompson in the fifth, and the Rockies never recovered. Saturday, Carson Kelly’s first-pitch double opened a three-run, four-hit D-backs first.

“Kris Bryant hits a home run in the first inning, puts us up 1-0, then I go out there and give up three runs and we’re immediately fighting from behind,” said Freeland, who at one point retired 13 straight batters before surrendering a Jordan Luplow solo homer in the sixth and being charged for two more runs in the seventh.

The best part of the Rockies’ day may have been the beginning, when Cron and Iglesias showed up in pain but with hope they will return to the lineup soon.

Immediate X-rays on Cron on Friday did not reveal a break, and while “[Saturday] is a little too soon to get back in there” because he is undergoing treatment to reduce swelling, he believes he won’t be out for long. With team highs in homers (20) and OPS (.901), Cron is needed.

“It’s been pretty special,” said Cron, who parlayed his first true opportunity for regular playing time with the Rockies last year into a two-year, $14.5 million contract and All-Star Game candidacy this year. “The way my career went, I’d never had the opportunity to be in there every day. As a young guy, you want to establish yourself, become an everyday impact player. It's been awesome so far.”

Cron, who will learn Sunday if he’ll be a National League All-Star Game reserve, said that while his wrist “doesn’t feel great right now,” it could have been worse. In 2016 with the Angels, Cron missed six weeks with a broken left hand after being hit by a pitch.

“From when I broke my hand, I have a pad underneath my batting glove. I actually think [the pitch Friday] got a little bit of the pad, too, which was big,” he said. “You can’t pad your whole body, unfortunately.”

Iglesias passed concussion protocols. Black said before the game he likely would have given Iglesias Saturday off regardless.

“I’ve been in worse collisions,” Iglesias said. “This one definitely was not fun, but it’s good to not have a concussion.”

Iglesias also has been productive, posting a .363 road batting average. He has gone 7-for-18 (.389) with a home run and two doubles on the road trip.