Rockies bullpen suffers epic, controversial collapse in 11-9 loss to Dodgers

Teoscar Hernández (37) of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates a three-run home run off Victor Vodnik (38) of the Colorado Rockies to cap a seven-run final frame during the ninth inning of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 11-9 victory Dodgers at Coors Field in Denver on Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

It was a collapse for the ages. Spiced with controversy and fury.

The Rockies were one shot away from earning a 9-8 victory over the Dodgers on Tuesday night at Coors Field. And the Rockies were 100 percent sure they got the third strike they needed on Victor Vodnik’s 99.8 mph fastball to Teoscar Hernandez.

Instead, the Rockies lost 11-9, as the Dodgers erupted for seven runs in the ninth, capped by Hernandez’s three-run homer one pitch later.

Hernandez checked his swing on Vodnik’s two-strike pitch and the Rockies called on first base umpire Lance Barksdale, positive that Hernandez had swung to end the game. But in vain.

Manager Bud Black went ballistic and was immediately forced out. Rockies right fielder Jake Cave also went ballistic and had to be restrained from attacking Barksdale.

“I saw a swing — a check swing — but I thought he went around,” said Black, who was ejected for the second time this season and the 12th time in his eight-year career with the Rockies .

After the game, Cave was adamant that Colorado should have won.

“Everyone saw (the swing) now, and I had a good view from right field,” Cave said. “In real time, I didn’t think it was close. …Then, after I made the last out, as I was running toward the dugout, Lance looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Cave, it’s not even close.’

“That’s when I really got (pissed off) because it was like, ‘Do you really disagree with the game to the point where you can tell me it’s not even close? ‘ Everybody can see it was the closest. And (Hernandez) swung.

“They’re one of the best teams in baseball, and we’re beating them, and our pitchers are on the field. … This game is won. On a swing and a miss, this game was won and we beat the Los Angeles Dodgers.

But when all the fire and smoke cleared, Colorado’s incredibly unstable bullpen cost them another game.

Remarkably, Tuesday marked the sixth time this season that the Rockies entered the ninth inning with a lead and allowed five or more runs to lose that lead. They own the dubious record for the most such blown leads in a single season in baseball’s modern era. It was the third time this season that Colorado had allowed six or more runs in the ninth inning – all at Coors Field.

Earlier in the ninth inning, Jason Heyward launched a grand slam home run off closer Tyler Kinley. Heyward’s blast echoed off the right-field foul pole and set the stage for Hernandez’s blast. In a third of an inning, Kinley allowed four runs on two hits and two walks and left the mound with a 9.00 ERA.

“It was definitely a tough time, and we had some tough ones,” Black said. “In many ways, Tyler had a tough night. A lot of good things happened tonight… But it obviously comes down to making pitches, and the Dodgers put together a lot of good at-bats in the ninth.

Colorado wasted a brilliant game by center fielder Brenton Doyle.

Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers may be the world’s favorite baseball superhero, and yes, he launched a majestic 476-foot home run, but he was no match for Doyle. With the Rockies clinging to an 8-4 lead, Doyle faced Superman for the final out in the seventh inning.

The Rockies center fielder took off to rob Ohtani of an extra base hit that would have produced two runs and could have resulted in a triple — maybe even an inside-the-park homer. The ball flew off Ohtani’s bat at 111.7 mph.

“It was a 3-1 count, a pretty big spot, and I knew he was going to be aggressive,” Doyle said. “I was able to jump the ball as well as I could and had a pretty good route to the ball. I knew when I was halfway to the ball I had to make a dive. So I took a dive with Superman, and I got him. Pretty cool.”

Rockies starter Austin Gomber said, “One of the best catches I’ve ever seen. What a match for him tonight. Obviously it (stinks) that we couldn’t close this one out. But when a guy plays a game like that, it’s pretty special.

Doyle sweetened his fine catch with a career-high four hits, including a one-out solo homer in the fourth against Walker Buehler. Doyle’s homer, his sixth, ended his streak of 95 without a home run at bat, the longest home run drought of his career.

Colorado also received a needed boost from Gomber, who halted its June swoon.

Yes, the southpaw served up the epic solo homer to Ohtani on a slider in the sixth inning – a blast that elicited oohs and ahs from the crowd. And Gomber also gave up a solo homer to Andy Page in the second. But Gomber provided Colorado with the start it needed to topple the mighty Dodgers.

“All four of his shots were called tonight,” Black said. “He pitched really well.”

Gomber had a magnificent May, going 1-0 with a 0.68 ERA in four starts. But in his first three starts in June, all on the road, he was 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA. Last Wednesday in Minnesota, the Twins ambushed Gomber’s off-speed pitches and gave him eight runs on a career-high 11 hits in just three innings.

But Gomber gave the Rockies 6 2/3 innings Tuesday night, allowing four runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked two. He was in line to pitch seven innings, but allowed two strikeouts to Kike Hernandez and an RBI double to Miguel Vargas as the Dodgers cut the lead to 8-4.

“I thought I had thrown the ball well all year, and I just had a snap,” Gomber said of his poor start against the Twins. “I just blew this game. I felt really good all day today, I had good energy. Warming up in the bullpen, I was really focused on getting a zero in the first inning.

Left-hander Jalen Beeks relieved Gomber and quickly walked Chris Taylor, setting the stage for Doyle’s catch of Ohtani’s liner.