The Colorado Rockies continued with the struggles that have bogged them down in recent weeks, watching their bullpen once again let things get out of hand on Monday night as they fell to the New York Mets by a final score of 12-2.
Bad timing to face Jacob deGrom
So much of the gloom over tonight’s game emerged early on from simple bad timing (later on it came from the bullpen—oh did it come from the bullpen).
This would be a tough game to win under any circumstance, but it’s more deflating to feel like a game is relatively hopeless from the start on the heels of some of the team’s recent losses.
As he has been all season, deGrom was simply dominant. He pounded the strike zone, striking out seven and issuing just one walk over eight innings of work. He’s been one of the best in the league for a reason, and the Rockies saw that firsthand on Monday.
The bullpen: yikes yikes yikes
Where to even start. Harrison Musgrave looks like a star with his 1.2 innings because he only allowed two earned runs, even if those were huge runs themselves. Jake McGee allowed an inherited runner to score on a stomach-punch two-run home run. And that was just the beginning.
Jeff Hoffman, who seemed like a reasonable candidate to handle some high-leverage work for a bullpen seeking answers, absolutely melted down and walked three and gave up two hits while getting just one out. He walked in two runs. Brooks Pounders gave up a couple more RBI hits before ending the terrible ninth inning that saw the Rockies surrender six additional runs.
Tyler Anderson left this game having given up three runs. The Rockies gave up 12. The bullpen is as bad as it gets right now.
What else went wrong?
The Rockies gave up an inside-the-park home run to lead off the game (more on that in a second). Bud Black got ejected. The offense only scored two. It wasn’t a fun night at Coors Field.
Brandon Nimmo had a night
This game was mostly a bummer, but it was hard not to smile along with Nimmo as the Wyoming native threw out four hits, including an inside-the-park home run and a regular home run.
Looking ahead
If they dare, the Rockies take the field again Tuesday against the Mets as they try to keep this 2018 season from going off the rails.