Rockies fall 4
Posted: 05/11/2014 02:49:28 PM MDT
Updated: 05/11/2014 03:00:42 PM MDT
CINCINNATI - With the Reds' Homer Bailey on the mound Sunday afternoon, the Rockies needed to play a special brand of baseball.
Instead, they were less than ordinary and fell, 4-1.
The Rockies also lost the series 2-1, dropping their first series since losing two of three at San Francisco on April 11-13.
Bailey, the owner of two no-hitters, worked a masterful 7 innings, allowing just four hits. The Rockies' only run off the right-hander was a leadoff solo home to right by Charlie Blackmon in the fourth.
Cincinnati's Aroldis Chapman, returning from a traumatic head injury suffered during spring training on March 19, closed out the game, walking Troy Tulowitzki before striking out Carlos Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado and Justin Morneau in succession. Chapman, his fastball reaching 101 mph, took the mound to an ear-splitting standing ovation.
A prime example of Colorado's lackluster execution came in the fifth inning. Starter Juan Nicasio got himself in trouble by giving up a double to Ramon Santiago, followed by a walk and a stolen base to speedy Billy Hamilton. Nicasio appeared to squirm out of trouble by striking out Skip Schumaker and inducing a groundball to Arenado at third. But Arenado, so spectacular at the hot corner, made a sloppy throw to first for an error, allowing Santiago to score. It was the seventh error of the young season for Arenado, who had 11 errors total last year on his way to winning a Gold Glove as a rookie.
Arenado went 0-for-4, putting an end to his streak of 30 consecutive games reaching base safely.
Nicasio wasn't bad - six innings, four run (two earned) on five hits - but he was no match for Bailey. Nicasio gave up a run in the first when Hamilton singled, took third on an error by Morneau at first and scored on a groundout by Schumaker. That set the tone for the day.
Todd Frazier cranked out a 421-foot homer to center in the fourth off Nicasio to put the Reds ahead 3-1.
Colorado's best chance to rally fizzled in the fifth. Morneau drew a walk and scooted to third on catcher Mike McKenry's double. Both were stranded when Bailey struck out DJ LeMahieu and Nicasico and then got Blackmon to foul out to third.
Blackmon continues to prove that he's the real deal as a power-hitting leadoff hitter. He has nine homers in 141 at-bats this season after hitting six homers in 246 at-bats in 2013.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denverpost.com or http://ift.tt/KvaAvB
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