The Colorado Rockies recovered from the worst start in franchise history to creep near respectability, but now they’re in another tailspin.
Colorado has dropped three straight but will try to end it there when it hosts the Cincinnati Reds in Denver on Tuesday night for the second of a three-game series. Cincinnati took the opener on Monday 13-3 for its second straight win.
The Rockies will send left-hander Ty Blach (2-2, 4.15 ERA) against Reds righty Frankie Montas (2-4, 4.60).
Blach is facing Cincinnati for the seventh time in his career and will make his fourth start against the Reds. He is 0-1 with a 6.27 ERA in his previous six outings against the National League Central club.
If he pitches like he has in his last two starts, Blach will likely stop Colorado’s losing streak. The Denver native tossed 6 2/3 innings against Philadelphia on May 24 and followed that with a season-high seven innings against Cleveland on Wednesday night.
He allowed just two runs in each game, both Rockies victories.
It’s a good sign for a pitcher who began the season in Triple-A before joining Colorado in April. He worked out of the bullpen in three of his first four appearances and joined the rotation full-time May 12 — picking up the Rockies’ fourth straight win after they opened the season 8-28.
His struggles in spring training was one reason he began the year in the minors, but that time helped him straighten out some issues.
“Unfortunately, I gave up some runs in big situations late in games. That’s how it goes in spring sometimes,” he said. “You don’t have the same scouting reports. You don’t know how to attack hitters, and everybody is getting a feel for the game. So for me to go down to Albuquerque and gain that confidence that I can get guys out gives me confidence here.”
Montas has also been pitching well but took the loss against St. Louis in his last outing on Wednesday after giving up three runs on six hits in six innings. Montas is in his first season in Cincinnati after making just one appearance for the New York Yankees in 2023 — in the second-to-last game of the season.
He made his Reds debut as the Opening Day starter and threw six scoreless innings against the Washington Nationals but went on the injured list in late April with right forearm tightness. Tuesday will be his sixth start since coming off the IL on May 7, and Cincinnati has lost all five of his previous starts.
Montas will make his fourth career start against the Rockies. He is 1-2 with a 5.02 ERA in the previous three outings.
If the offense produces like it did Monday night with a season high in runs and hits, Montas might break his losing streak. The Reds are starting to gel at the plate, and it coincides with the return of TJ Friedl, who had two hits in just his 11th game this season Monday.
“The way he plays the game, it’s very consistent with our style of play and what’s important to us,” manager David Bell said. “He’s the center of all those things, in the clubhouse, on the field, playing hard and competing and doing all the things that it takes to win.”
–Field Level Media
