Brewers 6, Rockies 5: Colorado's losing streak to six in frustrating loss

The Rockies wasted chances left and right in this one, and the end result was a 6-5 loss to the Brewers for Colorado's sixth straight loss. Milwaukee hadn't won a series at Coors Field in ten years, but they made this one a sweep thanks to a bewildering array of blunders and missed chances by the Rockies in the past three games.

In a season of frustrating losses, this one ranks very highly in my book. Maybe it's because I'm conflating this loss with what occurred in the 95th minute in Manaus just a little later on (so close!), but a team that has 15 hits - including two doubles, two triples, and a homer - really needs to get Rockies fans in Colorado some cheap tacos the next day and avoid their second straight series sweep. The Rockies were a pathetic 2-13 with runners in scoring position in this one and left 12 men on base. They knocked Kyle Lohse out of the game after five innings - his shortest outing on the year, but were unable to capitalize.

In addition, they ran themselves into two crucial outs that would have resulted in runs. First, Charlie Culberson was caught stealing in the sixth inning after starting the frame off with a single. Immediately thereafter DJ LeMahieu and Charlie Blackmon threw out hits that would have scored Culberson, but ultimately the Rockies were turned away.

More frustratingly, Corey Dickerson's triple to open the ninth inning should have been stretched into a run when the throw got away from Aramis Ramirez, but as shown in the article photo above, Dickerson fell flat on his face halfway down the line and was tagged out. Wilin Rosario then immediately launched a solo homer to center field that would have tied up the ballgame.

Rosario was a dynamo in this game, going 4-5 with the homer (his eighth), a two run double in the third that tied the game at three apiece, and two singles. It was the best game I've seen this year from Rosario (who admittedly did have a passed ball), and it raised his batting line in what has been a challenging 2014 to .249/.284/.448. Four other Rockies - Drew Stubbs, Blackmon, Culberson, and LeMahieu - also added two hits apiece for the Rockies, whose

On the other side of the coin, the Rockies allowed ten hits and six runs to the Brew Crew. In his third MLB start, Tyler Matzek was more bad Tyler than good Tyler. Matzek lasted 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on seven hits (including a mammoth homer to Aramis Ramirez in the second) and four walks while striking out two on the day. All in all, not a terrible effort for Tyler but not one that will keep your team in a lot of games.

Walt Weiss made what I believe was a bad process/good outcome decision when he pulled Matzek with the bases loaded and one out in the sixth inning. Instead of going to literally anyone else in the bullpen, Weiss went to 15th string reliever Rob Scahill, straight off the bus from Colorado Springs and throwing his first 2014 MLB pitch, in arguably the highest leverage spot in the game thus far.

Fortunately for Weiss and the Rockies, Scahill pitched his way out of danger and tacked on another scoreless inning of relief, as did Nick Masset. Unfortunately, Adam Ottavino allowed a solo homer to Lyle Overbay in the ninth - the blow that would turn out to be the decisive run for Milwaukee.

All in all, it's a tough way to end a series, but the Rockies will have to shake it off as the Cardinals come into town tomorrow for a three game series. Colorado will look to Jhoulys Chacin to stop the bleeding against Lance Lynn.

Graph

Source: FanGraphs

We Salute: Rosario (.250 WPA), Scahill (.155)

We Are Disappointed In: Matzek (-.426 WPA), Dickerson (-.155), Morneau (-.141)

Roll Call

Panda Rating: Sad Panda