Rockies-Pirates box score

The homestand was brimming with opportunity, a glorious chance for the Rockies to pile on two lesser foes and muscle up for a September run.

Instead, the Rockies have stumbled badly and have reached a crossroad. A listless 5-1 defeat to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday has made it imperative the Rockies play better and put aside a bitterly disappointing series if they want the final 35 games to really matter.

"It's the season," first baseman Todd Helton said. "It's what it comes down to. Either we get our act together or we go home.

"I would never, ever say that we don't play hard because I think we do. But we're going to have to come back with a little more enthusiasm, more sense of urgency, a little more swagger than we played with. This wasn't a good series for us."

Losing three of four to the Pirates left the Rockies with losses in seven of their past 10 games. In those 10 games, played without a day off, the Rockies bullpen worked 42 1/3 innings because the starters have pitched only 50 2/3 innings.

Jeff Francis, who starts tonight against Washington in a three- game series, said of the relievers, "They've done a great job picking us up, and it's time for us to do the same thing. Start doing our job; we haven't been doing it very well."

Against the Pirates, the Rockies got five innings from only one of their four starters.

Ubaldo Jimenez worked seven innings Monday in a 4-2, 11-inning loss. That was followed by 4 2/3 innings from Elmer Dessens on Tuesday when the Rockies won 9-2; then three innings from Josh Fogg on Wednesday in an 11-2 loss; and another short outing, from left-hander Franklin Morales on Thursday.

Morales, making his second major league start and his Coors Field debut, didn't resemble the 21-year-old prodigy who was so dazzling for 5 1/3 innings Saturday in Los Angeles.

He threw 52 of 79 pitches for strikes in that game and didn't issue a walk, but against the Pirates, Morales threw 49 of 89 pitches for strikes and left after facing two batters in the fifth.

Morales walked five and allowed seven hits, including Josh Phelps' run-scoring double with two out in the first and Phelps' two-run double in a three-run third that included Jose Bautista's run-scoring single with two out.

"Overall, his command wasn't as sharp (as it was in his first start), whether that comes from overtrying or being too geared up," manager Clint Hurdle said. "His off-speed stuff wasn't as sharp. His fastball at times was overthrown, a lot more fastballs up. Left some soft stuff over the plate. He'll learn from it."

While losing their first series at Coors Field since May 18-20 against the Kansas City Royals, the Rockies, who had gone 9-0-2 since that series, went 5-for-37 (.135) with runners in scoring position against the Pirates.

They sank to those clutch-hitting depths with nine hitless at-bats Thursday, the first three coming in the second when Paul Maholm struck out Ryan Spilborghs, Yorvit Torrealba and Jamey Carroll to strand runners at first and second.

"I think we played frustrated (Thursday)," Carroll said. "Swung the bat frustrated, a little angry, more so than just going out and playing. And it shows."

The loss dropped the Rockies, fourth in the National League West, 7 1/2 games behind the idle Arizona Diamondbacks and four games behind in the wild-card race, where they trail five teams.

For the first time since their lamentable 1-9 trip June 22 to July 1, the Rockies have lost three straight series.

And at 64-63, they find themselves one game above .500 for the first time since July 28, when they were 52-51.

Despite their 55-71 record, the Pirates have won six of eight and 10 of 15.

That said, the Rockies found it hard to stomach three losses to a team trying to squirm out of last place in the NL Central.

"It was definitely frustrating, especially when you feel like this is a team you should beat," Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. "We didn't have it offensively, and the pitching wasn't the best, so it was tough."

Hurdle's mantra is the players embrace the opportunity to be playing consequential games this late in the season and they plow forward, their confidence and resolve intact despite the recent slide.

"I think we're still confident and believe in our abilities," Tulowitzki said. "We're making it tough on ourselves, but there's still some time left."

etkinj@RockyMountainNews.com

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