Rockies lament lack of big hit, but rotation ticking up

PHILADELPHIA -- After walking off the field with a win on Thursday, the Rockies were hoping the end of their eight-game skid would start a different kind of run.

As they left Citizens Bank Park following Sunday afternoon’s 9-3 loss to the Phillies, the Rockies were headed for Cleveland looking to halt another losing streak.

Here are three takeaways from the four-game series in Philadelphia:

Close calls
There are no moral victories in baseball, so can the Rockies take solace that they held leads in two of the three losses and overcame an early deficit in the other?

“I think it hurts more when you're in them and you lose them,” Ryan McMahon said. “We were in all three; we just couldn't get the big hit or big out. It’s good to be in them, but we have to find a way to get those things done.”

On Friday, the Rockies jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first on McMahon’s homer, but they didn't record a hit after the second, allowing the Phillies to climb back for a 4-3 win.

Saturday’s game saw Philly win by the same score, but the Rockies erased an early Phillies lead to tie the game in the fifth. Nick Castellanos’ second homer of the day -- one of three long balls the Phillies hit in the game -- accounted for the decisive run.

Then on Sunday, the Phillies clubbed four more homers, giving them eight in the series compared with just two for the Rockies. Although the 9-3 final indicated a lopsided contest, Colorado actually held a 3-2 lead after scoring three runs in the fourth.

“We've been close. It’s tough; frustrating,” manager Bud Black said. “The Phillies this series hit the ball over the fence -- and we did. … We had some opportunities for a bigger hit to stretch our lead or to get more runs and it didn't happen. We had an opportunity to keep the game close late and we didn't. The takeaway is we have to make better pitches and we have to have better at-bats.”

The Rockies have not won any of their first seven series this season, the first time in franchise history that has happened. With a three-game set in Cleveland beginning Monday, Colorado will have another shot to win its first set of 2023.

“Obviously it's important; that’s what playoff teams do,” McMahon said of winning a series. “If that's what we want to be, that’s what we have to do.”

Sore sights
The Rockies lost Kris Bryant after an awkward swing Saturday, then watched Yonathan Daza exit Sunday’s game in the fourth inning when a Zack Wheeler pitch hit him on the left hand.

Daza sat by home plate grimacing in pain for several minutes while a team trainer tended to him, and although he stayed in the game at the time, he was replaced when the Rockies took the field in the bottom of the fourth. X-rays were negative, leaving the center fielder day to day.

“He’ll be sore, but it could have been worse,” Black said. “We don’t know when [he’ll be back in the lineup], but he’s going to be fine.”

Bryant was given Sunday off after experiencing some lower body pain on Saturday, but the outfielder said he expects to be back in the lineup for Monday’s series opener in Cleveland.

Rotation rumblings
German Márquez and Antonio Senzatela are nearing their respective returns from the injured list, but young starters Ryan Feltner and Noah Davis showed encouraging signs this weekend as Colorado searches for stability in the rotation.

“Our rotation will look a little bit different potentially when both those guys are back in,” Black said. You need depth; injuries occur, there’s performance -- or lack thereof -- and you need as many pitchers as possible. As many good pitchers as possible, and we feel those two guys are two of our better ones.”

Feltner earned the lone win of the series with 5 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday, his best outing of the season. Davis, who threw five scoreless innings against Seattle in his first start, allowed two runs (one earned) in 4 2/3 innings on Friday.

“That was a step in the right direction for both those guys, especially Feltner,” Black said. “Back-to-back decent outings for Davis; I’m sure he would have liked to have gotten that last out in the fifth, but there were signs for him. Strike-throwing pitching, some pitchability. Definitely a positive.”