Rockies fall apart with free passes and an error, lose on walk-off walk

Rockies Report, Game 73:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Colorado’s bullpen gave the Chicago Cubs eight walks over three-plus innings of work, with the final free pass bringing home the winning run as the Cubs walked away with a 5-4 win over Colorado in the series opener at Wrigley Field on Monday night.

“You’re gonna walk eight guys in the bullpen, you’re not going to win very many games,” Colorado manager Warren Schaeffer lamented to media after the game. “It’s a shame. It’s a shame. Eight walks, on the road in a tough environment — it’s just tough to win like that.”

The chance for a win fell unraveled in the ninth inning like a cheap cardigan caught on an exposed nail.

Two pitches after issuing a leadoff walk to Seiya Suzuki, Juan Mejia air-mailed a potential fielder’s choice out at second wide of Cole Carrigg and into center field, allowing Ian Happ to reach base and Suzuki to advance to third. Seven pitches later, Mejia walked Nico Hoerner to load the bases — the eighth free pass issued by Colorado pitchers on Monday night.

Warren Schaeffer subsequently lifted Mejia for Seth Halvorsen, leaving him and his 1.65 WHIP the stacked-deck scenario. Five pitches later, he allowed an opposite-field single to Pedro Ramírez, tying the game; another five pitches after that, a 3-1 fastball sailed well outside of the strike zone to Matt Shaw, scoring Happ with the winning run.

“He’s been absolutely awesome, are you kidding me? The homer in Wrigley, down one in the eighth, I mean what do you say about that?” Schaeffer said.

“The kid’s first seven games, and he’s doing that already? That’s impressive.”

But it went for naught. Other defeats this season have had a greater magnitude. One can argue that none was more painful.

The defeat was the Rockies’ 10th-consecutive loss at Wrigley Field and their fourth loss in five games since taking the first two of last week’s home series with the North Siders. Colorado dropped to 27-46.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

It was a second-consecutive solid start for Michael Lorenzen, as he scattered five hits and a walk over five innings, allowing a single run on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s first-inning homer.

“Mike threw the ball very well, I thought. He kept us right in the ballgame. He was efficient,” Schaeffer said. “That’s two really, really good starts in a row for him, which is huge for us — and huge for him. I’m happy for him.”

Lorenzen has a 1.000 WHIP and a 1.80 ERA in his last two starts — both against the Cubs — after posting 1.99 and 8.01 figures in those metrics, respectively, through his June 3 start against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The next step will be getting him to go longer than the five innings of work he had in his two most-recent starts; he was relieved after throwing 89 pitches.

But with one solid performance at home and another on the road, Lorenzen is starting to nudge in the right direction after arguably the most frustrating opening two months of a season he’s endured as a major-leaguer.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Halvorsen delivered the walk-off walk to Shaw.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 1.000 — Carrigg’s OPS through seven games. “He’s not scared of anything. He’s a breath of fresh air,” Schaeffer said. “It’s fun watching him play. He’s really good.”

WHAT’S NEXT: Ryan Feltner gets another shot at the Cubs after struggling last Thursday. Edward Cabrera gets the nod for Chicago. First pitch from Wrigley Field is set for 6:05 p.m. MDT.