Trevor Story flexes recent power surge, but Rockies fall 10-4 at Brewers – The Denver Post

Trevor Story hit the baseball this past week like it’s the size of a beach ball.

Five games. Four home runs.

His 422-foot blast gave the Rockies a fifth-inning lead on Saturday at Milwaukee. But Colorado’s pitching woes ultimately stymied Story’s recent power surge in a 10-4 loss. Colorado starter Antonio Senzatela lasted just five innings. The bullpen inherited a one-run lead and blew it.

“We beat ourselves not adhering to pitching principles,” manager Bud Black said.

The Rockies (31-46) are now 6-30 on the road. They close their current series Sunday at Milwaukee (44-33).

On Saturday, Colorado’s leadoff duo of Raimel Tapia and Yonathan Daza produced instant offense. Tapia singled off Brewers’ starter Adrian Houser and then stole second. Daza’s single put the Rockies ahead 1-0.

But Senzatela couldn’t maintain that momentum. His 35-pitch first inning was extended after a balk.

“When he called it, I got a little bit (peeved),” Senzatela said. “When I went to the dugout and saw the pitching coach, guys told me: ‘Hey, forget about that. Keep going.’ … I was pretty surprised, especially after the first inning.”

The problem began when Christian Yelich hit an RBI single that scored Kolten Wong. Senzatela, one pitch away from closing the inning,  faced Willy Adames when the second base umpire called for the balk. Senzatela then walked Adames. It prompted an early mound visit from Black.

But their brief chat did little to settle the right-hander’s nerves. Tyrone Taylor ripped Senzatela for an RBI single to give Milwaukee a 2-1 lead.

Senzatela got called for another balk in the second inning. Video replay shows he did not pause long enough on his delivery in those instances. Senzatela settled into the game as it continued.

“The explanation is that Senza has to come to a discernable stop,” Black said. “He can’t just continue to go once his hands hit his belt. The umpires are looking for a discernable stop and they felt on those two balks, there was not one.”

The Rockies clawed back in the fourth when Story walked, stole second, and moved to third on a Ryan McMahon groundout. C.J. Cron walked. Then Brendan Rodgers hammered an RBI single to tie the game.

The pendulum quickly swung back to Milwaukee, though, later in the inning. Senzatela put two runners on (single and walk) when Houser bunted. Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron bobbled the ball and threw wildly toward third. The fielder’s choice error scored Keston Hiura and Milwaukee went up 3-2.

But clutch Colorado hitting in the fifth — Charlie Blackmon’s two-out single and Story’s home run — put the Rockies head 4-3.

“Hopefully, the homer gives (Story) some confidence going into tomorrow,” Black said.

Senzatela’s afternoon was done after 98 pitches (62 strikes), with five strikeouts and three walks.

Reliever Jhoulys Chacin entered from the bullpen. He gave up a solo homer to Avisail Garcia in the seventh inning that tied the game.

Colorado opened the eighth by drawing a pair of walks from McMahon and Rodgers but failed to capitalize. Carlos Estevez then replaced Chacin. He loaded the bases with no outs — walk, HBP, bunt single — and a deep sacrifice fly from Omar Narvaez brought in Milwaukee’s go-ahead run. The Brewers ran up the score, 7-4, with a Luis Urias single.

Ben Bowden came in for Estevez. Yelich cranked his first pitch for a two-run homer. Garcia and Adames both doubled to make it 10-4.

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