Márquez can't figure out mystery of Giants

August 13th, 2021

SAN FRANCISCO -- As if the news could not worsen for Rockies right-hander , the schedule says there are two more series against the Giants this season.

In their 7-0 victory at Oracle Park on Thursday night, the Giants scored seven runs in four innings against Márquez, an All-Star right-hander when not facing this National League West opponent -- which currently leads the division.

“I’m really not sure,” Márquez said. “I go in there with a good game plan every time. I try to make my pitches and continue to work.”

In 20 starts against everyone else this season, Márquez has a stellar 2.64 ERA (37 earned runs in 126 1/3 innings). After Thursday -- which was going well until a six-run fourth that featured LaMonte Wade Jr.’s three-run homer and Logan Webb’s two-run single with the bases loaded that was just shy of a home run -- Márquez has a scary 13.81 ERA (22 ER, 14 1/3 IP) vs. the Giants this season.

Before his evening fell apart, Márquez had six strikeouts.

“I felt really good,” he said. “I had great fastball command. I had good command on the curveball. Even my slider was really good. They made an adjustment, somehow, and I was unlucky in the fourth inning.”

In 14 career starts against the Giants, Márquez holds a 7.19 ERA. The only NL team he has a higher ERA against is the Braves (7.56), but that is in just three starts. Oddly, Márquez has two one-hitters to his credit -- one on June 29 at home against the Pirates, and the other against, of course, the Giants at Oracle Park on April 14, 2019. But also in '19, the Giants touched him for 11 runs in 2 2/3 innings at Coors Field on July 15.

“He was really focused tonight to turn the tide on these guys,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “It was just that he didn’t make any pitches.”

Thursday, of course, didn’t rest solely on Márquez. An offense that is without the first two hitters in its order -- Raimel Tapia (on the injured list with a right big toe sprain) and Brendan Rodgers (nursing a bruised right hand) -- has scored one run in three games on the current road trip.

Webb (six innings, three hits, eight strikeouts) and Giants pitching extended the Rockies’ club record for being shut out to 15 games -- all on the road. The last teams to be shut out that often away from home felt their misery in 1978 -- the Braves (18) and the White Sox (15).

Thursday was the 14th time the Rockies have been held to five or fewer hits while being shut out on the road. That’s the most since the 1972 Rangers (15 times). Then there is the strangeness of a 38-21 home record (.644 winning percentage) and the 13-43 road mark (.232), a whopping .412 difference.

Webb hit Rockies shortstop Trevor Story on the left forearm with a pitch. Story did not finish the game, but Black said initial indications are that he is fine.