Aug. 15—For the first four innings Sunday, Jon Gray was nearly unstoppable.
He had a skip in his step as he sent the Giants’ batters packing, giving up three hits but not allowing a runner to get past first base. The defense had his back, churning out stunning double plays to end the second and fourth innings.
But then came the fifth. And for the second start in a row, things started to fall apart for Gray after cruising early. The Giants went on to win 5-2 to take the series 3-1. The Rockies are 14-45 on the road, six weeks away from inevitably breaking the record for lowest road winning percentage in franchise history. They are also on track to have the biggest differential between home and road winning percentages in major league history.
After their previous road trip showed signs that maybe the tides were changing, this one again ends in disappointment. They finish the trip 1-5, with their only win coming Saturday night.
“It’s something we have to stay positive about, we can’t get down about it,” Gray said. “Whatever we can pull from these games and to help ourselves in the future, we need to do.”
Sunday’s game was eerily similar to Gray’s start Tuesday in Houston, when he held the Astros scoreless through three before giving up four earned runs. He said after that game that he lost command and control, that things “all of a sudden went wild.”
This time, though, he was more in control, the Giants were just able to make soft contact and find holes.
“I felt better I did my last one,” he said. “I thought I still had strikeout stuff today.”
Mike Yastrzemski hit Gray’s low change-up that was outside of the zone for a single, and Curt Casali did the same with a high fastball as Yastrzemski scored. Alex Dickerson then hit a sharp line drive, and Gray walked Giants starter Alex Wood to load the bases.
“That’s where, for me, the breakdown was,” manager Bud Black said. “You have to get your out. … The guy is not a strong hitter and Jon wasn’t able to throw a strike.”
Gray got a stroke of luck when Tommy La Stella’s hit was called a double instead of a grand slam, but the damage was already done.
On offense, the same old road troubles persisted early, earning only two hits through the first six innings. Then the momentum shifted slightly, when Taylor Motter, promoted Tuesday after Raimel Tapia (toe sprain) went on the injured list, singled on a line drive. It was Motter’s first major league hit since July 24, 2018.
The Rockies carried that energy into the seventh, where Black made the decision to swap rookie catcher Dom Nuñez for veteran Elias Díaz. The move paid off, as Díaz hit a pinch-hit RBI single to get the Rockies on board to avoid their 16th road shutout.
Charlie Blackmon did the same behind him, filling in at the pitcher’s spot to hit another RBI single as Yonathan Daza scored. But that’s where the scoring would end for the Rockies. Díaz was called out at home on the next play and the Giants added two more runs in the seventh to take back command.
“I didn’t really like the quality of the at-bats today,” Black said. “We’re in the ballgame here in the seventh inning in a one-run game. You know, we got beat.”