It’s been 22 innings since the Rockies (3-8) have scored a run. That happened when Ryan McMahon hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning on Saturday against the Giants. Two shutout losses, which are part of a four-game losing streak, have followed. On the bright side, if you really look hard for one, the Dodgers (9-2) hit four home runs in this one, but they were all solo shots. Otherwise, this could have been much worse.
Bauer silences offense again, but even worse
There were no seventh-inning homers against Bauer (2-1, 2.70 ERA) this time. Unlike their April 3 showdown when Charlie Blackmon and McMahon both homered in the seventh frame, on Tuesday night, the 2020 Cy Young Award winner, who is currently under investigation by the MLB for possibly doctoring baseballs with a foreign substance in a season when the MLB warned every team that it would be increasing enforcement on the problem, gave up one hit and two walks in seven scoreless innings with nine strikeouts.
“In these two games, he’s had our number. There is no doubt about that,” Bud Black said in the postgame press conference. “I think the velocity was up today with the fastball. It had a little bit more crispness to it. I thought his breaking balls were again very good like they were in Denver. The hard cutter in the mid 80s, he had the bigger slider, threw a curve ball. This fella can really spin the ball and we saw that tonight.”
The Rockies lone hit against Bauer came on an infield grounder by Garrett Hampson in the third. He was moved to second by McMahon and even got to third on a passed ball, but Trevor Story struck out to strand him there. In the second, the Rockies had their most action of the game on the bases when Blackmon and C.J. Cron both walked to lead off the inning. Raimel Tapia the struck out, Josh Fuentes fouled out, and Elias Díaz also struck out. Bauer retired 14 out of the last 14 batters he faced.
Senza’s got the L.A. blues
This was another rough go against the Dodgers for Antonio Senzatela (1-2, 7.07 ERA). Three pitches in, he gave up a homer to Corey Seager and the struggle began. Chris Taylor followed with another one to put the Rockies down 2-0 in the first. Senza bounced back for a 1-2-3 scoreless second, but Mookie Betts blasted another homer in the third. Through 10 games, the Rockies starters had only given up three homers. Senza matched that in the third inning. After a 3-2 pitch was called a ball to walk Will Smith, Senzatela was visibly upset and had words for home plate umpire Tom Hallion.
Instead of a strikeout, Senza had to face Gaven Lux, who followed by hitting an RBI single to make it 4-0 and then the inning could have been over, but Trevor Story made a throwing error on a routine grounder, extending the Dodgers lead to 5-0 and ending Senzatela’s day. He finished with giving up five runs (four earned) on five hits (including three homers and a double) with two walks and two strikeouts. Unlike his last game when his slider was on and he threw eight scoreless innings, Senzatela left too many pitches high and in middle of the strike zone.
Thank goodness for Hampson
Hampson prevented the Dodgers from no-hitting the Rockies. He also stopped a skid of 17 batters in a row being sent down by Bauer and David Price in the eighth inning. In the ninth inning, Hampson got Colorado’s second hit of the game and the only single that left the infield. After that, McMahon struck out and Alan Trejo grounded into a double play to end the game. The Rockies finished with 12 strikeouts. Combined with Sunday’s shutout, the Rockies have stuck out 22 times in the last 18 innings. They now have only scored four runs in their last four games.
Up next
The Rockies and Dodgers will be back in action on Wednesday night when Jon Gray (1-0, 1.54 ERA) will take on right-handed Dustin May (1-0, 0.00 ERA).