Published November 20, 2014
Colorado Rockies reliever Adam Ottavino spoke softly but it was very clear he took Sunday's loss personally.
After Colorado rallied from a huge deficit to tie the game, rookie Yonder Alonso singled to drive in the winning run in the ninth, leading the San Diego Padres to a 12-11 win over the Rockies.
Colorado scored six times in the eighth, tying the game on rookie Josh Rutledge's grand slam.
Ottavino faced nine batters in the fifth inning and managed to get just two outs. By the time the Padres were finished, they tied a season-high with eight runs to take an 11-5 lead.
Worse yet, all eight runs scored with two outs.
"I made some bad choices along the way," Ottavino said. "I didn't do my job. The pitches I make that were good they hit hard. My seven runs were a major contribution to (the loss)."
Said Colorado manager Jim Tracy: "Those type of situations are very difficult to deal with when they score with two outs."
Ottavino allowed seven of the eight runs on six hits.
Even Rutledge's big shot was not enough to keep Colorado from losing for the ninth time in 11 games.
"That was great but we still lost," Ottavino said. "I definitely let the team down."
In the ninth, Everth Cabrera reached on a one-out infield single off Matt Belisle (3-7). With two outs, Belisle balked Cabrera to second and then intentionally walked Chase Headley to bring up Alonso.
The left-hander lined a ball right at left fielder Andrew Brown, whose throw was just late as Cabrera crossed home plate with the winning run.
Joe Thatcher (1-4), who came on to strike out final two batters with runners on first and second in the ninth, picked up the win.
The clubs combined for 23 runs and 27 hits.
Trailing 11-5 after San Diego scored eight runs in the fifth, the Rockies used their own big inning against three rookie relievers to get back in the game.
"I don't like roller coasters," Padres manager Bud Black said. "Every now and then you have to take one. You have to take the ride, and we did. We ended up OK."
After Cory Burns started the eighth and allowed a run on two hits and an error, Tommy Layne came in and hit Charlie Blackmon with a pitch to load the bases.
Layne then walked Dexter Fowler to force in another run before being replaced by Nick Vincent. Rutledge hit Vincent's first pitch into the left-field stands to tie the game at 11.
"We just kept battling, every guy," Rutledge said. "Every guy who went to the plate had good at-bats, and we were just trying to string some runs together."
John Baker's two-run single with two outs off Ottavino in the fifth tied the score at 5. Pinch-hitter Andy Parrino followed with an RBI single to put San Diego ahead.
Cabrera, who had three RBIs, lined a two-run double into the right-field corner. He then stole third and scored on catcher Jordan Pacheco's throwing error.
After Logan Forsythe's infield single brought on reliever Matt Reynolds, Headley hit a two-run homer to left to cap the inning.
Headley extended his career highs with his 28th homer and 104 RBIs, tops in the NL. Headley leads the majors with 20 home runs and 62 RBIs since the All-Star break.
NOTES: Tracy said if LHP Jorge De La Rosa checks out medically, he would start at least once in the final 17 games. De La Rosa, who made his third rehab start Saturday night, hasn't pitched in the majors since he underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2011. .. Black said there is no timetable for when LF Carlos Quentin (sore right knee) might return to the starting lineup. Quentin has missed five start starts. .. Rockies RHP Jhoulys Chacin (2-5, 4.86) opposes Giants LHP Madison Bumgarner (14-10, 3.32) in the opener of a three-game series on Monday night. .. After a day off, Padres LHP Eric Stults (6-2, 2.54) will face Diamondbacks RHP Ian Kennedy (13-11, 4.21) in the first of three at Arizona on Tuesday night.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/rockies-lose-wild-game-12-11-to-padres