Colorado Rockies’ 100th loss comes vs. Dodgers, naturally

Thanks to veteran right-hander Chase Anderson and rookie left fielder Nolan Jones, the Rockies were able to stave off the inevitable.

For a few hours, anyway.

After defeating the Dodgers, 4-1, in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader at Coors Field, the Rockies were clobbered in Game 2, losing 11-2. And so, for the first time in their 31 seasons of existence, the Rockies lost 100 games.

“It’s another loss this season,” manager Bud Black said. “I don’t know quite (what the question is). I mean, it’s 98, 99, 100. That’s another loss.”

Black said the milestone loss held no major significance to himself or his players.

Fittingly, No. 100 came against the Dodgers, who have dominated the Rockies for most of those 31 years. This season, the Rockies are 2-9 against the National League West bullies, including going 0-6 at Dodger Stadium, their first winless season at Los Angeles in franchise history.

The nightcap was ugly and it was over early.

In the second inning, the Dodgers sent nine men to the plate and scored five runs on six hits against right-hander Ryan Feltner, who was making his second start since returning from the injured list where he recovered from a fractured skull and a concussion suffered on May 13.

Feltner appeared to catch a spike on the mound in the third inning, turning his ankle slightly but he said it didn’t affect him. He finished the inning but did not come back for the fourth because of soreness in his right elbow.

“It started to stiffen up on him a little bit, so for precautionary reasons, we took him out of the game,” Black said.

Feltner said he did not feel any stiffness in his elbow until recently.

“It was just tonight, and the past couple of days a little bit,” he said.

Feltner said his concern about the elbow “was pretty low right now.”

“The evaluation with the doctor just now was pretty good,” he said. “We are just being careful.”

Feltner lined up to finish the season finale against the Twins on Sunday but he’s not sure what his status is.

“I don’t know what my status is right now,” he said. “I think we’ll have more on that tomorrow.”

After Feltner departed, the Dodgers continued to pile on against Colorado’s shaky bullpen. Freddie Freeman crushed a two-run homer to left off of Gavin Hollowell in the sixth after Hollowell issued a leadoff walk to Chris Taylor.

By winning the opener, the Rockies snapped a seven-game losing streak as Anderson notched his first win in 17 starts since joining the Rockies. The veteran was solid for a third straight outing, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing five hits, walking two and striking out four.

“We’re human, right? At the end of the day?” Anderson said when asked about finally getting a victory next to his name. “That’s a good team over there and you have to make pitches. You have to bear down.”

Jones, who’s emerged as one of the best rookies in the majors, launched his 19th homer of the season in the seventh inning and also recorded his club-record 18th outfield assist. He broke Dante Bichette’s club record of 17 outfield assists set in 1999. Bichette accomplished that feat in 144 games. Jones surpassed Bichette in just 87 games.

“I had never even played outfield in my life (before the majors), so I really don’t even know why I’m getting outfield assists,” said Jones, who came from the Guardians as a third baseman. “Maybe playing in the infield helped me with my footwork.

“I just throw it as hard as I can. I think I’ve gotten lucky on some outfielder assists that I probably shouldn’t have, but that’s all part of it.”

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