Diamondbacks Edge Rockies 5-3 at Coors Field, Take Second Straight in the Season Series
Arizona picked up a 5-3 win over Colorado at Coors Field on Thursday, extending its early-season edge over the Rockies to two straight meetings. The result continues a rough stretch for Colorado, which has now dropped four of its last five games overall, with both losses in this stretch against Arizona coming back-to-back.
The story of the game, strangely enough, belonged to the losing side. Rockies starter Mason Adams was brilliant, turning in a dominant outing that produced a team-high 52.0 fantasy points and easily made him the top performer on either roster. It's the kind of start that wins most nights. It didn't win this one, and that's been the maddening reality for Colorado through the first week of the season — quality arms getting let down by a lineup and bullpen that can't hold the line.
Arizona didn't need to be spectacular against Colorado to get the job done Thursday, closing out the 5-3 win at Coors Field to remain unbeaten against the Rockies so far this season.
For Colorado, the frustration extends beyond Adams' strong start. Ezequiel Tovar was the offensive standout for the Rockies, racking up 34.5 fantasy points at shortstop — going 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI — in another sign that the 25-year-old is developing into the kind of player this franchise can build around. Hunter Goodman added 15.0 points behind the plate with a pair of hits and an RBI, and Jake McCarthy chipped in 13.0 points in left field, including a stolen base. The pieces are there. What's missing is the ability to string it all together against a divisional opponent that has clearly gotten inside Colorado's head early on.
Look at the form Colorado has brought into this stretch and the picture gets even clearer. The Rockies have dropped four of their last five games, with the two most recent losses coming directly at the hands of Arizona. This isn't a small sample fluke at this point — it's a pattern, and if the Rockies can't figure out how to beat Arizona soon, it's going to be a rough early stretch in the standings.
It's still Week 1. Nobody is panicking in either clubhouse just yet, and there's plenty of season left for Colorado to find its footing. But the early tone has been set. Colorado is searching for answers despite flashes of real talent from players like Tovar and now Adams. Games like this one, where a starting pitcher can put up huge fantasy numbers and still walk away with a loss, tend to stick with a team. How the Rockies respond over the next few series will say a lot about where this season is headed.
For fans tracking performances like Adams' huge outing or Tovar's big night at the plate, nights like this are exactly why building a lineup on JockBroker each day keeps things interesting — even a losing pitcher can be the best player on the field.
