Noah Spirek | @NoahSpirek | June 4, 2024
The Rockies returned home from their brief three-game trip to Los Angeles hoping to get right against the Cincinnati Reds, who entered play Monday with a 26-33 record. Unfortunately for Colorado, little went the Rockies way and the Reds slugged their way to an 18 hit, 13 run performance in the win.
Table of Contents
Game Story
After scoring just one run in their final 23 innings in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, the Rockies jumped out to an early lead in their return to Coors Field. In the bottom of the 1st, a two-out single from Elehuris Montero scored Brendan Rodgers, and the Rockies leaped to a 1-0 lead.
The Reds quickly answered in the top of the 2nd. With runners on first and third, Tyler Stephenson grounded into a double play, scoring the runner from third and knotting the game 1-1. Then, in the 3rd, Elly De La Cruz roped a two-out RBI double, and he was followed by Jeimer Candelario, who promptly launched the ball into the Rockies bullpen, making it 4-1.
The Rockies countered with two runs in the bottom half of the 3rd. First, Brendan Rodgers lofted a solo homer – his third of the season – 425 feet. Later in the frame, with runners on first and third, Jacob Stallings continued his hot hitting with a two-out base knock to score Elehuris Montero. Heading to the 4th, the Rockies had cut the deficit to 4-3.
Unfortunately, this was the closest the game would be the rest of the way. In the top of the 4th, the Reds scored three runs, all coming with two outs. The headline hit in the inning was a RBI triple from Reds nine-hole hitter Will Benson. The Reds added on another run in the 5th, extending the lead to 8-3.
The Reds were not done, as they pounded Rockies reliever Josh Rogers for three more runs in the 6th inning. All of a sudden, the Cincinnati advantage was 11-3. The Reds tacked on two in the ninth on a Tyler Stephenson home run, and the Reds went on to win, 13-3.
Rockies starter Ryan Feltner struggled on Monday. He went just 4.1 innings, allowing 10 hits and 8 earned runs. The outing ballooned his season ERA to 6.22.
The silver lining for Colorado came late in the ballgame, when rookie RHP Angel Chivilli made his Major League Debut. Chivilli, 21, was called up from Double-A Hartford on Monday. In 15 games with the Yard Goats, Chivilli has pitched 18 innings and boasts a 2.50 ERA and a 29:11 K:BB ratio. Last night, he pitched two innings and gave up four hits, allowing two earned runs via Stephenson’s long ball.
Quotes
Manager Bud Black on Ryan Feltner’s start: “Too many pitches not down enough or not up enough. We talked today about pitching down in the strike zone. When he did [pitch down] I think you saw outs… He just didn’t execute a number of pitches when he really needed to… Below the zone, a lot of times when there is traffic, is better than up above the zone. He’s got to get a better feel for that in-game awareness. But I think it starts with being down. Pitches at the knees, pitches below the zone.”
Bud Black on Angel Chivilli: “You guys are going to like the stuff. I think he’s going to be fine. He’s got to harness the fastball a little bit… He’s got to get the fastball down. It has enough velocity [to] beat some guys up in the strike zone but it’s a good feel for a changeup… I like the stuff… He’s young but there’s a quality of pitches there that I think are playable in the big leagues.”
Notes
Dating back to 2017, the Colorado Rockies have not lost a home series to the Cincinnati Reds. At Coors Field, they have won or split every series, and the Rockies carry a 13-8 record against the Reds (at Coors Field) in that span.
Ryan Feltner allowed a career-high eight runs on Monday and has posted a 7.30 ERA (24.2 IP, 20 ER) in five starts at Coors Field this season. Feltner has not won a start at Coors Field since Aug. 9, 2022 vs the St. Louis Cardinals.
Brenton Doyle recorded the 6th 3-hit game of his career on Monday. Doyle now has 15 multi-hit games this season after accruing 15 multi-hit games total in 2023.
What’s Next for the Colorado Rockies?
On Tuesday night, the Rockies host the Reds for the middle game of their three-game series. Probable starters are RHP Frankie Montas (2-4, 4.60 ERA) for Cincinnati and LHP Ty Blach (2-2, 4.15 ERA) for Colorado. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 MT.
Story by Noah Spirek.
Sean Sullivan, behind the numbers.”>ICYMI: Sean Sullivan, behind the numbers.
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