Noah Davis dodged his inevitable baptism by fire, until Saturday night.
The Rockies’ rookie right-hander, so good in his first two big-league starts, was roasted by the Diamondbacks, who ripped Colorado, 11-4, in front of 34,399 fans at Coors Field.
“The first couple of starts went well and I felt like I was competing,” Davis said. “All you can really ask for is to go out there and compete and see what the results are. But you have to take your lumps when they come. It’s going to be a learning process.”
Davis, 25, entered the game with a 0.93 ERA, the lowest in Rockies history for a pitcher’s first two career starts. Davis was also the only Rockies pitcher to not allow an extra-base hit through his first two starts. But it took Arizona just two innings to teach Davis some big-league lessons. He departed having given up seven runs on seven hits with an ERA of 6.17.
“He threw strikes for the most part, although there were some walks in there,” manager Bud Black said. “But he was around the zone, which was good. But they put the ball and play, and that’s part of it.”
Colorado lost its third consecutive game and fell to 8-20, the worst record in the National League, with a run differential of minus-62, also the worst in the NL. Arizona, leaders of the National League West, improved to 16-12. The D-backs outhit Colorado 16-8 and got home runs from Geraldo Perdomo (three-run shot in the first) and Christian Walker (solo blast in the eighth).
Josh Rojas led off the game with a double to right and scored on Corbin Carroll’s single to give Arizona a 1-0 lead.
The Diamondbacks turned the second inning into LoDo batting practice, sending 10 batters to the plate and producing six runs on five hits and two walks. Jose Herrera drew a bases-loaded walk for the first run of the inning, Rojas followed with a two-run single and then Perdomo blasted his 413-foot, three-run homer to right off Davis.
“That was a huge blow,” Black said.
Asked what lessons Davis might have learned, Black answered, “Try to minimize the big inning. The pitch count got way up. There were some deep counts that turned into walks. You have to continue to pound the strike zone. You’ve got to, as a starter.”
While Davis struggled, the Rockies’ offense scuffled, again, as their home losing streak reached seven games. Colorado has been outscored 69-24 during the home skid.
There were a couple of positives for Colorado. Left fielder Randal Grichuk, back from the injured list, made his first start of the season and was 2 for 4 with singles in the fourth and sixth.
Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tover brought the crowd to its feet with a one-out triple to right in the fifth. But, in keeping with the spirit of the Rockies’ season, Tovar was thrown out at the plate trying to score on Charlie Blackmon’s flyball to shallow center. The D-backs’ Alex Thomas made a great throw to nail Tovar.
The Diamondbacks will attempt to sweep the Rockies on Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s Pitching Matchup
Diamondbacks RHP Ryne Nelson (1-1, 5.33 ERA) at Rockies LHP Austin Gomber (1-4, 9.28)
1:10 p.m. Sunday, Coors Field
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
If ever a pitcher needed a solid start, it was Gomber. The left-hander got shelled in his first four starts of the season and had a 12.12 ERA, but he blanked the Guardians for five scoreless innings in Cleveland last Monday, striking out three and walking three. He whitted his ERA to 9.28. In 30 career games at Coors Field (21 starts), Gomber is 9-7 with a 4.64 ERA. He is 2-0 with a 5.27 ERA in eight career appearances (four starts) against the Diamondbacks.
Nelson, a 25-year-old rookie, has been erratic this season and is coming off his first loss. The Royals ripped into him for four runs on 11 hits in five innings. Walks have been a bit of an issue for Nelson in his first four starts but he didn’t give up a walk vs. the Royals. Nelson, a second-round draft pick out of Oregon in 2019, made his debut last September. Sunday will mark his first start against the Rockies.
Pitching probables
Monday: Off day
Tuesday: Brewers LHP Eric Lauer (3-2, 5.19) at Rockies RHP Ryan Feltner (2-2, 4.68), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
Wednesday: Brewers RHP Freddy Peralta (3-2, 3.77) at Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland (2-3. 4.32), 6:40 p.m., ATTRM
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