Rockies’ four homers aren’t enough to overcome Cubs’ seven-run inning in 8-6 loss

Rockies Report, Game 75:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Making his second major-league start, Sean Sullivan was rocked by the Cubs in the second inning, allowing seven runs on seven hits and a walk that proved to be enough to withstand a late Colorado charge as the Cubs held on to defat the Rockies 8-6 in the series and road-trip finale at Wrigley Field on Wednesday night.

Thompson’s two bombs were the first two major-league homers of his career; he went deep in the third and fifth innings to begin the comeback as Colorado chipped away at the Cubs’ lead. But the big burst came in the eighth inning, as TJ Rumfield brought home one run with an RBI groundout, and then six pitches later Goodman turned on an Ethan Roberts cutter and drilled it 417 feet over the center-field wall to pull the Rox within 8-5.

The Rockies’ bullpen also came up big for a second-consecutive night. Zach Agnos hurled three shutout innings, while Jimmy Herget escaped from the eighth inning unscathed after allowing a pair of singles to open the inning in his return from the injured list. Herget had not pitched for the Rox since May 12.

Colorado fell to 27-45 and dropped the series. The Cubs and Colorado concluded their season series over the last nine days square at three wins apiece.

ROCKIES STARTER’S REPORT

Sullivan’s second career start wasn’t defined by the physical struggle he endured last Friday in Summerlin, Nev. when he threw up in the bullpen before the game and was “sick as a dog,” as manager Warren Schaeffer said.

But what made Sullivan ill on Wednesday night was metaphorical, as the first five Cubs he faced in the second inning reached base, capped by Dansby Swanson’s two-run homer to push the Rockies’ deficit to 5-0. Sullivan rebounded to retire Pete Crow-Armstrong, then allowed the next three Cubs batters to reach base via hits before retiring Alex Bregman on a sacrifice fly that scored the seventh run of the inning.

Schaeffer stuck with Sullivan, and he ended up lasting four innings and 82 pitches. Crow-Armstrong’s controversial fourth-inning home run down the right-field line added an eighth run to Chicago’s tally.

“Well, he [home plate umpire John Libka] called it fair, and the replay obviously showed it foul. But the replay couldn’t show if it nicked the foul pole, so, He got it wrong,” Schaeffer said.

Sullivan left with eight earned runs, nine hits and two walks on his ledger as he absorbed his first major-league loss.

BITS AND PIECES

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Freeman hit a grounder to third for the 27th out.

NUMBER TO NOTE: 1.141 — Goodman’s OPS this month. His home run in the eighth inning was his eighth of the month.

WHAT’S NEXT: A day off before beginning a weekend series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Kyle Freeland and Bubba Chandler will face off in the Friday-night series opener at Coors Field. First pitch is set for 6:40 p.m. MDT. Pirates ace Paul Skenes will start the Saturday-night game int he series.