CINCINNATI — The Rockies’ June swoon is in full bloom.
Lefty Austin Gomber served up three solo home runs in a tough 5-4 loss to the Reds on Monday night, the Rockies’ sixth consecutive defeat.
The Rockies had a chance to rally in the ninth when Mike Moustakas and Jurickson Profar delivered back-to-back singles off Reds closer Alex Diaz. But Diaz struck out Randal Grichuk and Ryan McMahon and got Elias Diaz to ground out to shortstop Spencer Steer for his 19th save.
“It was a hard-fought game on both sides … it was an emotional game,” manager Bud Black said. “But there were missed opportunities in the (sixth) and some inexperience showed up. And then in the ninth, we didn’t put the ball in play. … The message is that we’ve got to shorten up the swings and put the ball in play. But there is a guy on the mound (Alex Diaz) with a good arm.”
Decimated by injuries, plagued by terrible starting pitching, and getting erratic at-bats from players getting their first taste of the big leagues, the Rockies fell to 5-13 this month.
The latest defeat came on a night when Great American Ballpark threw a welcome-home party for Cincy icon Joey Votto and as the red-hot Reds won their ninth consecutive game, the longest active winning streak in the majors and their longest since a 10-game winning streak from July 19-29, 2012.
The 39-year-old first baseman, making his 2023 debut after returning from surgeries last August to repair his left biceps and torn left rotator cuff, responded with a solo home run in his second at-bat and then delivered a go-ahead, two-run single in the sixth off reliever Jake Bird to put the Reds in front, 5-4.
Votto made a curtain call after his home run and was serenaded with chants of “Joey! Joey!” after his clutch single.
The night did not begin well for Gomber in this homer haven on the banks of the Ohio River. Kevin Newman hit Gomber’s third pitch of the game over the center-field wall.
Then Nick Senzel hit a two-out solo blast to center in the second. Great American really started rocking when Votto launched Gomber’s first pitch of the fifth inning into the right-field seats.
Black, however, was not particularly upset by the solo home runs and was thankful that Gomber pitched into the sixth inning to give Colorado’s overtaxed bullpen a bit of a breather.
“A run is a run, right?” Black said. “Solos, a lot of times, don’t hurt you. (Gomber) gave up three runs into the sixth inning. But I thought he threw the ball fine. He elevated some pitchers for the homers, but this is a ballpark where there is a homer in there.”
Still, there’s no dodging the fact that Colorado has now given up 15 home runs over five consecutive road games (in the same road trip) for the first time in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Votto’s homer on a high fastball gave the Reds a 3-1 lead, the Rockies’ lone run coming on Diaz’s solo homer in the fourth off lefty Brandon Williamson.
“The (home run) that stings is the Votto one,” Gomber said. “Normally he doesn’t swing at the first pitch, only a handful of times the last few years.
“I’m sure it was an emotional night for him, and I was thinking about it in the dugout and thinking whether I should spin something to him the first pitch.”
But Gomber didn’t and Votto hit the lefty’s 88.1 mph fastball 381 feet and brought the crowd to its feet.
Colorado’s three-run sixth inning gave it a short-lived 4-3 lead. The Rockies sent nine men to the plate and got RBI singles from Diaz and catcher Jorge Alfaro. Moustakas, the former Reds player, drew a pinch-hit walk to force in another run.
The Rockies had a chance to put up a crooked number in the sixth but rookies Brenton Doyle and Coco Montes both struck out with the bases loaded.
Tuesday’s pitching matchup
Rockies RHP Noah Davis (0-1, 6.17 ERA) at Reds RHP Ben Lively (4-4, 4.07)
5:10 p.m. Tuesday, Great American Ballpark
TV: ATTRM
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM
Lefty Kyle Freeland was the scheduled starter for the Rockies but he’s down and out with a virus, so right-hander Noah Davis has been called up from Triple-A Albuquerque to make the start. That leaves the Rockies with a question mark about Wednesday’s starter. Manager Bud Black hopes Freeland can make the start but it’s sure. Davis was 0-1 with a 6.17 ERA in three starts with the Rockies before he was put on the injured list with elbow soreness. Davis has struggled at Triple-A, going 0-2 with a 6.31 ERA over seven starts. Lively will be making his second career appearance and first career start vs. Colorado. He faced the Rockies on May 15 at Coors Field in his final relief appearance before joining Cincinnati’s rotation. He’s posted a 1.69 ERA in his two relief appearances and a 4.42 ERA in his six starts.
Pitching probables
Wednesday: Rockies TBA at Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (3-0, 0.00), 10:35 a.m., ATTRM
Thursday: Off day
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