The Colorado Rockies really needed a win, in part to break a nine-game road losing streak and a six-game overall losing streak; in part to get them back on track to stay under 100 losses; and in part of salve their wounded spirits.
Unfortunately, today was not their day to get that win as the Rockies lost to the Detroit Tigers 8-1.
An early Adael Amador homer was easily the game’s highlight while the pitching continues to struggle.
With this loss, the Rockies have lost seven consecutive games in addition
to their last 10 on the road. Their second-half record is 16-35.
“Sometimes, it’s just a bad stretch,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game.
The offense started strong — and quickly sputtered
Adael Amador got things off to a quick start when he hit a home run (4) in the second at-bat of the game.
“He’s making an impact every game,” Schaeffer said. “He’s starting to show up this year at the big-league level, which is fantastic.”
The lead would be short-lived, however, when Gabriel Hughes — after getting two quick outs — allowed a two-run homer to Riley Greene in the Tigers half of the first.
Already, the Rockies found themselves with a one-run deficit.
The Rockies got two quick outs before third baseman Vimael Machín hit a single. All was for naught, however, since he was quickly thrown out at first by Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler to end the inning.
In the second inning, the Tigers continued to make progress.
The Rockies lost the opportunity to erase a Max Clark stolen base because the coaching staff waited too long to issue a challenge. With just one out recorded, Josh Peck hit an RBI single to score Clark and leave runners at the corners. Kevin McGonigle then hit a two-RBI triple, and the score was 5-1 with one out and Hughes at 55 pitches.
Fifteen pitches and five batters later, the Rockies tallied the third out with the score still at 5-1.
Both the Rockies and Tigers failed to get a hit in the third inning with Zach Agnos entering the game for Hughes.
In the fourth inning, TJ Rumfield walked again, extending his on-base streak to 19 games. Given that Mickey Moniak and Troy Johnston struck out in his wake, it did not matter, and the score remained 5-1.
Agnos kicked off the fourth inning by issuing back-to-back-to-back walks. Hao-Yu Lee hit a sacrifice fly to expand the Tigers lead, 6-1. Greene added his own RBI single, and the score was 7-1.
Again, the Rockies were retired in order in the fifth.
Nick Frasso entered the game to pitch the bottom of the fifth. After striking out the first batter he faced, Spencer Torkelson hit a home run, making the score 8-1.
The Rockies could not manage annother hit until the seventh inning when Rumfield knocked a single. Following that, Moniak notched his third K of the day, and Jackson Jobe’s day was over — his first time as a professional to get an out in the seventh inning.
Jobe’s final line was 6.1 IP with one run (earned) on three hits. He walked one and struck out eight.
Brant Hurter entered the game in relief and promptly gave up a single to Machín, but the Rockies were unable to capitalize, and the score remained 8-1.
After a disastrous Saturday, Jaden Hill entered the game to pitch the eighth. After getting the first two batters quickly, he issued a walk. He got the third out without allowing a run.
With two outs, Moniak hit a double.
The final line for the Rockies offense was one run on five hits. They walked once and struck out 11 times.
Gabriel Hughes had a (really) short day
The quest for his first MLB win continues.
Gabriel Hughes continues to struggle in finding a put-away pitch. He was already at 29 pitches at the end of the first inning after putting away the first two batters he faced relatively easily. (To provide a contrast, though two innings, Tigers starter Jackson Jobe threw 25 pitches.)
To be fair, not all of Hughes’ struggles stemmed from the ability to get outs. The Rockies failure to issue a timely challenge to the Max Clark steal kept Hughes with just one out longer than might have been necessary. Still, Hughes was unable to get outs.
By the end of the second inning, Hughes was at 70 pitches, the second-most by any player in MLB this season.
He was not helped, either, by an offense that could not figure out Jackson Jobe and too often had short at-bats.
He relied most heavily on his four-seamer (37%) followed by his changeup (21%), then his sinker (16%) followed by his curveball (14%).
The final line: 2.0 IP allowing five runs (earned) on five hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Currently, Hughes has a 6.37 ERA.
“I just think Gabe didn’t have his best stuff today,” Schaeffer said, noting especially Hughes’ lack of control of his breaking pitches.
The bullpen slogged through another long game
Schaeffer went to his already exhausted bullpen in the third inning.
Agnos had a brisk seven-pitch third inning that saw him retiring the batters in order. However, his luck did not extend into the fourth. His final line was 2.o IP with two runs (earned) on one hit. He walked three and struck out one on 36 pitches.
The fifth inning went to Frasso who struck out two and allowed one home run. He threw 17 pitches.
Jimmy Herget took the sixth for a quick three-up, three-down inning and was back for a longer seventh inning. His final line was 2.0 IP with one hit, one walk, and one strike out on 30 pitches. He did not allow a run.
As for Hill, he went 1.0 IP with issuing no hits, but one strike out and one walk on 24 pitches.
In total, Rockies pitching allowed eight runs on eight hits. They also issued seven walks and seven strikeouts on 177 pitches.
Up next
Tomorrow, the Rockies will — mercifully — return to Coors Field for the final home stand of 2026.
They will welcome the postseason-contending San Diego Padres with Tomoyuki Sugano (菅野 智之) schedule to face a pitcher to be named later.
See you then.
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