Even when the Colorado Rockies delivered a stunning bases-clearing hit to take a ninth-inning lead, they still couldn’t land a road victory.
The Rockies’ road losing streak stands at 11 as they visit the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night in the finale of a two-game set.
Colorado was one strike away from being shut out Tuesday before Jacob Stallings hit a three-run double in the top of the ninth inning. But Kansas City scored in the bottom of the frame and received an RBI single from Freddy Fermin in the 11th to post a 4-3 victory.
“We strung together three really good walks off a really good pitcher who was around the plate with good stuff,” Colorado manager Bud Black told reporters, referencing Kansas City closer Carlos Estevez. “We eyeballed (Estevez) and then ‘Stalls’ fell behind but got a slider up and put the ball in the corner. What a momentum changer that was.”
Still, the Rockies have the worst record in the majors at 4-18 and are a dismal 1-12 on the road. They have lost nine of their past 10 games overall.
Kansas City has won consecutive games after losing its previous six. The Royals are struggling on offense, ranking last in the majors with 12 homers. The Royals also have scored four or fewer runs in 22 of their 24 games.
Kansas City last scored more than four on April 4 in an 8-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.
Fermin entered in the bottom of the ninth on Tuesday, and the game-winning hit wasn’t his lone stellar play. In the top of the 10th, the catcher threw to third and picked off Colorado’s Mickey Moniak with Maikel Garcia handling a challenging throw and making the tag.
“That pickoff was incredible,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “To break it out right there in that situation takes a lot of confidence and a lot of trust. He and Maikel put it on, and it wasn’t even close.”
Of course, Kansas City could have won without going to extra innings. The Royals were one out away from blanking the Rockies before Estevez ran into control issues and Stallings then laced a ball into the left field corner to clear the bases.
“That’s demoralizing,” Quatraro said. “Clearly, Carlos isn’t trying to walk those guys. He gets to two strikes on Stallings, and that’s very backbreaking. To our credit, the guys immediately come back.”
Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. reached on an infield hit Tuesday to stretch his hitting streak to 14 games.
On Wednesday, right-handers German Marquez of the Rockies and Michael Lorenzen of the Royals will square off.
Marquez (0-3, 8.27 ERA) has experienced a tough start after making just five starts the previous two seasons due to Tommy John surgery and a later elbow issue.
The 30-year-old has allowed 22 hits and eight walks in just 16 1/3 innings. He recorded just two outs in his last turn against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 16 while giving up seven runs and six hits in an 8-7 loss.
Marquez is 1-0 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts against Kansas City. He routinely has shut down Hunter Renfroe (eight strikeouts) and Mark Canha to 1-for-13 efforts while serving up homers to Salvador Perez (1-for-3) and Jonathan India (2-for-8).
Lorenzen (1-3, 4.57) has dropped his last two starts. He lost to the Detroit Tigers last Thursday 6-1 when he gave up four runs and seven hits over 4 2/3 innings.
Lorenzen, 33, won his lone home start this season. He tossed six innings against the Minnesota Twins and gave up one run and five hits on April 7.
Lorenzen is 1-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 appearances (three starts) against the Rockies. Moniak (3-for-15) has homered off Lorenzen while Stallings is hitless in 15 at-bats.
–Field Level Media
