Rockies limp back for home opener with a loss that followed script

Rockies Report, Game 6:

ROCKIES BOTTOM LINE: Colorado stuck to its early-season script as it concluded its first road swing of the season: another strong performance from its starting pitcher, another anemic team-wide performance at the plate and another day in which the bullpen exacerbated matters.

The result was a 3-1 loss that brings the purple and black limping back to Denver for the regular-season home opener at 1-5.

https://www.mlb.com/gameday/rockies-vs-phillies/2025/04/03/778467/live/box

STARTER’S REPORT: For a second-consecutive start, Antonio Senzatela danced his way out of most of the trouble into which he pitched himself. He allowed 10 runs over 5 1/3 innings, but only allowed one run, and it was unearned thanks to a Mickey Moniak error. The Rockies’ starters’ ERA remains at 1.35.

IT WAS DECIDED FOR THE ROCKIES WHEN: Brenton Doyle struck out with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning, swinging and missing at a 95-MPH José Alvarado cutter to leave the bases loaded.

Colorado had already scored its only run of the day earlier that inning when Sean Bouchard ricocheted a ground ball off Alec Bohm into left field, scoring Hunter Goodman, who started the inning with a walk before advancing to third on a Michael Toglia single. A one-out Kyle Farmer single loaded the bases, but Alvarado dug deep and struck out Tyler Freeman and Doyle to end the threat.

But the mountain to climb became steeper in the eighth inning after consecutive Tyler Kinley 9th-inning pitches resulted in a passed ball and a wild pitch, allowing Philadelphia’s J.T. Realmuto to advance to third base and then to score. That pushed the Phillies’ edge to 3-0. The passed ball at the expense of catcher Jacob Stallings came on ball 4 to Bryson Stott.

Kinley walked Realmuto, Stott and Brandon Marsh in succession before giving way to Victor Vodnik, who got out of the inning in three pitches to Schwarber, but the damage was done.


ROCKIES NUMBER TO NOTE: 14 — Strikeouts by Toglia through six games. Toglia’s promising 2024 has not carried over to the start of this season, although he did lace a single to right field in the ninth inning for just his second hit of the season in 23 at-bats.

ROCKIES UNIFORM: Black hat with purple bill, gray jersey, gray pants. The Rockies are 0-2 in this look.

WHAT’S NEXT: The home opener at what is expected to be a chilly Coors Field on Friday afternoon against the Athletics, who call Sacramento home but do not carry the city’s name as part of their moniker this season. Ryan Feltner will make his second start of the campaign; he went five innings at Tampa Bay last Sunday, emerging with no decision after allowing two runs — both coming on a first-inning home run — over an 83-pitch performance.