June 15th 2024.
As soon as Jack Suwinski launched his 2-2 curveball into the stands, Ryan Feltner could feel the sinking feeling in his gut. He knew he had made a big mistake. The Rockies' right-hander couldn't contain his frustration as Suwinski's two-run homer stretched the Pirates' lead to 4-1 in the seventh inning. Despite a valiant effort, the Rockies ultimately lost 5-2 in front of a packed crowd at Coors Field on Friday night.
It was the first time all season that the Rockies had lost four straight games on their home turf. Feltner, who took the loss and now has a 1-6 record with a 5.71 ERA, couldn't help but dwell on that one pitch that cost him the game. "I thought all of my pitches were working," Feltner said. "But that curveball just hung there in the middle of the plate. I'm used to seeing it drop, but it just floated. It was frustrating, for sure."
Feltner's disappointment only grew when he suffered a mild injury while facing the next batter, Jared Triolo. After spiking a pitch into the ground, Feltner signaled to the manager and trainer that he was hurt. They came to the mound for a quick consultation before Feltner was forced to leave the game. "He threw a pitch and I saw him sort of wince and roll his shoulders," manager Bud Black explained. "He had a bit of a spasm. I was going to take him out anyway."
After the game, Feltner assured reporters that his injury wasn't serious and that he would be fine for his next start. "It was just one pitch, late in the game," Feltner said. "I think I was just a little tired. I don't anticipate any further issues."
Meanwhile, veteran outfielder Charlie Blackmon provided a glimmer of hope for the Rockies in the ninth inning when he hit a solo home run, his third of the season. He also had two doubles earlier in the game, bringing his total to 16 games with at least three extra-base hits in his career. This ties him with Hall of Famer Todd Helton for the most in franchise history.
Blackmon, who will turn 38 next month, has been on fire lately, hitting .439 with nine doubles, one triple, two home runs, and 13 RBIs in his last 11 home games. Despite Blackmon's impressive performance, the Pirates still managed to hit three long home runs off Feltner, including a 432-foot solo shot by Bryan Reynolds in the first inning and a 448-foot homer by Andrew McCutchen in the sixth.
But it was Suwinski's 459-foot blast in the seventh that proved to be the game-changer. In just four games at Coors Field, Suwinski has an impressive .444 batting average with four home runs and seven RBIs. The Pirates seem to have a knack for dominating the Rockies at Coors Field, as they have now won 19 out of their last 28 games there dating back to 2015.
During batting practice before the game, veteran outfielder Jake Cave was struck in the head by a line drive and had to be taken off the field on a cart. Fortunately, the Rockies later announced that Cave only suffered a minor cut and did not have a concussion. "I was just working out in right field," Cave explained. "Somebody must have hit a line drive off my head. It got me pretty good, but I'm fine."
In other injury news, catcher Elias Diaz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, while outfielder Nolan Jones came off the IL and took his spot on the roster. Despite the loss and the injuries, the Rockies remain determined to bounce back and continue fighting for a spot in the playoffs. With Blackmon leading the way, they hope to turn things around and get back to their winning ways.
Ryan Feltner was well aware of his mistake as soon as Jack Suwinski sent his hanging 2-2 curveball soaring for a two-run homer in the seventh inning. The Colorado Rockies' right-hander was visibly frustrated as Suwinski's hit stretched the Pittsburgh Pirates' lead to 4-1 in front of a crowd of 31,717 at Coors Field on Friday night. It was a big mistake that ultimately contributed to the Rockies' 5-2 loss, their fourth consecutive defeat at home.
Reflecting on his performance, Feltner admitted that he felt good about his pitches overall, but that one mistake cost him. "I thought all of my pitches were generally working," he said. "That is a pitch I'm used to seeing going down, but it just floated there. It couldn't have been more middle. Just one bad pitch. That's one I'm frustrated by, for sure."
To make matters worse, Feltner also suffered a mild injury in the same inning. After spiking a pitch and indicating that he was hurt, manager Bud Black and head trainer Keith Dugger came to the mound. Feltner then left the game, but he assured reporters afterwards that it was just a minor issue with his middle back and that he would be fine moving forward.
Despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the Rockies. Right fielder Charlie Blackmon put on an impressive performance, hitting a solo home run and two doubles. It was his 16th game with at least three extra-base hits, tying him with Hall of Famer Todd Helton for the most in franchise history. Blackmon, who will turn 38 in July, has been on fire lately, with a .439 batting average over his last 11 home games.
Feltner also showed flashes of his talent, striking out eight and walking only one in 7 2/3 innings. However, the Pirates were able to capitalize on his mistakes and hit three long home runs. Black was still impressed with Feltner's performance, saying, "I thought his stuff was great... Overall, he had good use of the fastball. I thought it was crisp. And he threw some good changeups and some good curveballs. I thought his mix was good."
The Pirates' dominance in LoDo continued, as they swept the Rockies in their last series at Coors Field and have a 19-9 record at the stadium since 2015. The Rockies had a chance to make a comeback in the fifth inning when Ezequiel Tovar hit an RBI triple, but a strong throw from former Rockie Connor Joe prevented them from scoring more runs.
In other news, veteran outfielder Jake Cave was struck in the head by a line drive during batting practice and had to be taken off the field on a cart. Although he did not suffer a concussion, Cave required four stitches for a minor cut on his head. Infielder Nolan Jones returned from the injured list to take the place of catcher Elias Diaz, who was placed on the 10-day IL due to a left calf strain.
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