MLB scores: Rockies bullpen falters as Phillies avoid sweep with 10-9 win

The Rockies bullpen over the last week and a half has been phenomenal, but a slip-up Sunday helped cost the team a sweep of the visiting Phillies.

Boone Logan allowed three runs -- two earned -- on three hits and recorded only one out in the seventh inning of Colorado's 10-9 loss to Philadelphia in the series finale between the two teams at Coors Field. Logan, who hadn't allowed a run in six appearances entering Sunday, surrendered a bunt single to start the inning before giving up a double, a sacrifice fly and a line-drive single before exiting. It was the old Phillies who were right in the heart of the rally. Jimmy Rollins hit the double as part of his 3-for-4 day while Chase Utley provided the sac fly. And it was Ryan Howard who came up with the run-scoring single, one of his four hits and three RBI on the afternoon.

The Rockies tied the game in the bottom half of the inning on Justin Morneau's fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot off of Phillies reliever Jake Diekman after Troy Tulowitzki started the inning with a double. Diekman bounced back to strike out each of the next three hitters, preventing any further damage. That worked in Philadelphia's favor, as it plated two more runs in the top of the eighth on three singles against Colorado reliever Matt Belisle.

Charlie Blackmon homered in the bottom half of the inning to cut the Rockies' deficit to one, but a ninth-inning rally that saw Colorado get a pair of baserunners against Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon ended with Blackmon's grounder to third.

After allowing only three earned runs in their previous 32⅔ innings, the Rockies' overworked bullpen surrendered five runs -- four earned -- on Sunday. Overworked is the operative word here, as starter Juan Nicasio failed to get past five innings. He exited the game after throwing 94 pitches and allowing four earned runs on seven hits -- including a pair of homers -- and a walk. He struck out five.

The good news is that Rex Brothers, who allowed two of the three earned runs during the bullpen's streak of dominance since the second-to-last game of their opening homestand, pitched well in his lone inning of work and quite possibly would have escaped his outing without allowing an inherited runner to score if not for Jordan Pacheco's passed ball that eventually resulted in a run scoring on a sac fly.

Adam Ottavino and Chad Bettis also provided scoreless work out of the 'pen, but it wasn't enough.

Brandon Barnes and Troy Tulowitzki had three hits apiece to pace the Rockies' offense. Returning home has treated Tulo well; he went 3-for-3 with two walks on Sunday and is 7-for-9 with three free passes on the homestand.

Justin Morneau led Colorado with five RBI and is now tied for fourth in the National League with 15 on the season. Nolan Arenado, like Morneau, also had a pair of hits and is now hitting .295 on the season.

There was a lot to be happy about for the Rockies offensively, but one worrisome thing is that Carlos Gonzalez left the game in the sixth inning after hitting an inning-ending groundout. Gonzalez has left knee tendinitis, according to the team, and is listed as day-to-day. It'll be interesting to see what the club decides to do with both CarGo and Michael Cuddyer, who is still nursing a sore hamstring and might land on the disabled list, likely out of the lineup in their series opener against the Giants on Monday.

Source: FanGraphs