Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela made a trip across the Valley of the Sun to pitch. Little did he know that Royals hitters would force him into an extended pitcher’s fielding practice in Surprise, Ariz.

For someone who had missed the early part of the Cactus League schedule with a right hamstring injury, the frequent bunts the Royals attempted in Senzatela’s 3 2/3 innings were a good test. Or they were annoying.

Senzatela emerged healthy after some good sequences and some predictable ones. He gave up eight hits, but just two runs in the Rockies’ 6-1 loss, with two strikeouts and no walks to put himself on track to start the regular season’s fifth game, at home against the D-backs on April 6.

“I felt a little bit nervous -- first time out, they bunted a lot,” Senzatela said. “I just needed to run a lot. My hamstring is good. Everything is good.

“My fastball velocity is good. I hit 97 [mph] today, and I threw 94 and 95. I commanded my ball, I commanded my strike zone. I need to work a little bit on my breaking pitches -- mixing them with the fastball. It’s going to be good.”

In his next outing, Senzatela said, he will try to “make the hitters guess what’s coming.”

Becoming harder to figure out made him, statistically, the Rockies’ best pitcher last season, when he went 5-3 with a 3.44 ERA. Formerly fastball-dependent, Senzatela increased the effectiveness of his slider and began mixing in his changeup.

Matchup test

Manager Bud Black replaced Senzatela with two down and one on in the fourth, and went with No. 15 Rockies prospect Ben Bowden to face Andrew Benintendi. Bowden, who is trying to earn a bullpen spot, came through with a strikeout.

Testing the righties

Righty Robert Stephenson, acquired in an offseason trade, gave up two runs on two hits and a walk in the sixth. The original pitching schedule had him going two innings. The Rockies are contemplating their options for a multi-innings reliever.

Dereck Rodríguez, also in the multi-innings relief mix, gave up a scorching home run to Jorge Soler among the three hits and two runs in the fifth inning.

McMahon still making adjustments

After struggling to a .215 batting average last season, infielder Ryan McMahon has been working on quieting his swing, with a goal of not missing hittable pitches. His .189 average in 37 spring at-bats suggests the work is continuing.

“The overall at-bat is fine, but with what he does and what we ask him to do, maybe the results aren’t there statistically,” Black said. “But there’s daily work going on -- prior to the games and in-game -- to get ready for the season. It’s still exhibition season and guys are focused on things that they put into play come April 1. Mac falls into that category.”

More from the top

Leadoff man Raimel Tapia opened Sunday’s game by chasing a third-pitch Jackson Kowar changeup and striking out, something that has happened too often this spring. Tapia made contact the rest of the day and went 1-for-4.

“I understand I’m punching out a lot, but I’m also trying to see a lot of pitches,” Tapia said in Spanish, with bullpen catcher Aaron Muñoz translating. “I’m trying to prepare myself for the season, but it’s also a game of adjustments.

“At times, it feels like the ball is getting too deep on me, but overall I feel great.”