A once five-run lead for the Arizona Diamondbacks evaporated in two innings on Saturday at Coors Field as the new-look bullpen spoiled an otherwise solid offensive game and produced a 10-7 loss to the Colorado Rockies.
Arizona’s shot at three series victories over Colorado this season was abruptly ended.
Catcher Adrian Del Castillo smashed a two-run home run in the seventh — after back-to-back steals by Corbin Carroll — to make it 7-2 before relievers Andrew Hoffmann and Andrew Saalfrank coughed up six across the seventh and eighth frames.
Hoffmann, in his sixth appearance as a D-back since being acquired at the trade deadline, only was credited with one out in the seventh before giving up four runs (all earned) on 29 pitches. When Saalfrank was handed the ball, he didn’t fare much better, being tagged with a single by Rockies’ Kyle Farmer and a monster 434-foot homer by Tyler Freeman.
D-backs starting pitcher Ryne Nelson had nearly tossed his sixth quality outing of the season (6.1 innings pitched, four earned runs) and held a three-run edge (7-4) when exiting the mound. He didn’t offer a free pass for the sixth time this season when going at least five innings.
MLB bullpen record still in balance after latest blowup
If the run spread held at three or fewer and Hoffmann was able to complete a six-out save (or any of the five D-backs’ relievers without a save), the club would have set a major league record for most pitchers with a save in a single season at 15. Alas, the mark remained out of reach.
Hoffmann had the same opportunity to lock down the series opener on Monday at the Texas Rangers, but failed with his first batter hitting a solo home run.
The bullpen blowup was eerily similar to the first Diamondbacks-Rockies series in mid May, where the second game was snatched 14-12 by Colorado after it ate eight runs off of five Arizona relievers.
The run blitz at the end helped the Rockies to be 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position while the D-backs were 3-for-10. Arizona went down quietly as well, its final six batters retired in order with three strikeouts.
Top-heavy offensive game for Diamondbacks
Nearly all of the Arizona offense came from the top five in the batting order, with the group of players having eight of its nine hits.
The lone 6-9 hitter in the lineup to get into the hit column was second baseman Connor Kaiser, who had a single drop safely in the sixth. It was Kaiser’s second knock in four games as a D-back since his selection from Triple-A Reno on Aug. 1.
As rumors about the second baseman’s game absences circulate, Ketel Marte continued to contribute with two hits as the team’s designated hitter. He has yet to miss a game in Arizona’s current stretch of 13 games in 13 days.
Diamondbacks’ next game
Arizona (60-64) will have an unannounced pitcher throw in Sunday’s series finale against Colorado (33-89), which is having lefty Kyle Freeland (5.18 ERA) take the mound.
The St. Louis Cardinals (61-63) and Cincinnati Reds (64-60), two of the three teams between the Diamondbacks and the final NL Wild Card spot, both lost for the second straight night but Arizona once again didn’t capitalize and sits 5.5 games back of the New York Mets (65-58).
Listen to Diamondbacks-Rockies at 12:10 p.m. on 98.7, Arizona Sports.com and the Arizona Sports app.
