Rockies manager Bud Black is staying positive on the potential for supposed ace German Marquez to turn around his disastrous season.
“I think it’s going to happen every fifth day,” Black told the KOA radio broadcast team before Colorado embarked on a four-game road series at the Nationals.
However, in a 7-3 loss on Thursday, that hope quickly evaporated in yet another rough Marquez outing. The right-hander imploded with four earned runs on four hits in the first inning. He settled in to hold the Nationals scoreless in four of the next five innings. But he recorded just two strikeouts with three walks and Colorado’s bullpen failed to provide any relief.
The Rockies (20-24) aim to turn things around on Friday in Washington. Following a 3-6 homestand and three-game series loss at Pittsburgh, Colorado failed to produce enough runs to overcome Marquez’s slow start on Thursday. Third baseman Ryan McMahon also committed his ninth error of the season.
Brendan Rodgers extended his current hitting streak to 13 games (double) and opened the door for an early Jose Iglesias RBI single off Washington starter Patrick Corbin. Then Charlie Blackmon ripped a two-run double as part of a three-run Colorado third inning. Yonathan Daza was exceptional — going 2 for 3 with a single, double and walk — to improve his team-leading .364 batting average.
But Washington turned a trio of double-plays, taking the air out of several promising Rockies scoring opportunities. Colorado’s lineup also didn’t produce enough to solve the Nationals’ bullpen (Victor Arano and Steve Cishek).
Meanwhile, Marquez lacked pitch command to dig Colorado’s hole. It’s an issue he’s fought all year. His six starts with four or more earned runs given up this season rank as tops in the majors.
“I know it’s frustrating for, most notably, German. Because of his pride and his confidence and his desire to be at the very top of our rotation,” Black said before the game. “It’s been a struggle for sure. The coaches are searching for everything we can to help him through this. He’s going to come out and compete, I know that, he’s going to get after it. But, more than that, you’ve got to make pitches. For German, he’s got to get the ball down.”
Reliever Ty Blach entered in the seventh trailing 5-3 and loaded the bases with one out. The Nationals added a run on a Josh Bell sacrifice fly before Blach closed the side. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin worked the eighth. He gave up a triple to Dee Strange-Gordon and an RBI bunt single to Victor Robles to make it 7-3.
McMahon’s second-inning error, failing to drop his glove enough to secure a ground ball, didn’t factor into scoring.
On Deck
Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (2-4, 4.11 ERA) at Nationals RHP Austin Sanchez (1-2, 7.16)
5:05 p.m. Friday, Nationals Park
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Gomber has posted a better ERA on the road this season (4.09) than back at Coors Field (4.13) prior to his ninth start of the season on Friday. The southpaw limited the Nationals to just two runs pitching late into the sixth back in a May 4 home start. Gomber improved over his last two outings, both quality starts, giving up only five earned runs over 13 innings with a 3.46 ERA.
Sanchez, a 29-year-old California native, was a first-round draft pick in 2010 to the Blue Jays. He pitched six seasons in Toronto before journeyman travels to Houston, San Francisco and now Washington. Sanchez is 1-5 in his career over starts against the Rockies with a 5.67 ERA. The right-hander earned a win in his last outing with two earned runs on seven hits through five innings at the Brewers.
Trending: Second baseman Brendan Rogers is on the second-longest hitting streak of his career (12) while batting .367 with nine RBIs. His .078 (4-for-51) performance in April appears to be behind him.
At issue: After dropping 2 of 3 at the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Rockies have lost four consecutive road series, going 2-11 over that span. That came after Colorado began the season 4-1 away from Coors Field.
Pitching probables
Saturday: Rockies RHP Chad Kuhl (3-2, 3.67) at Nationals RHP Joan Adon (1-8, 6.97), 2:05 p.m., ATTRM
Sunday: Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (1-4, 4.60) at Nationals RHP Josiah Gray (4-4, 5.44), 11:35 a.m., ATTRM
Monday: Marlins TBD at Rockies TBD, 2:10 p.m., ATTRM
