Inconsistent De La Rosa reappears, keeps D-backs from breaking even
PHOENIX -- Three De La Rosas took the mound at Chase Field on Sunday. Jorge started for the Rockies and then there was Good Rubby and Bad Rubby for the Diamondbacks.
The right-hander has ebbed from tantalizingly dominant to frustratingly inconsistent both this season and throughout most of his young career. All of that was on display in a 6-4 loss to the Rockies that again kept the D-backs from a four-game sweep and the breakeven mark.
The good: De La Rosa set down 14 straight Rockies across five innings to keep the D-backs in the game.
The bad: The first six Rockies picked up hits to start the game, including a three-run home run by Troy Tulowitzki, as Colorado built a quick 4-0 lead. Tulowitzki then ended De La Rosa's good run with a hard-hit single in the sixth that was followed by Carlos Gonzalez's two-run homer to left and a walk to Michael McKenry.
And that was it for both De La Rosa versions in red.
The rough outing snapped a string of four starts in which De La Rosa allowed two runs or fewer. But immediately before that were back-to-back starts in early June in which he gave up a combined 16 runs.
"That was not a step forward. We're looking for him to keep his progress and keep going and today was definitely a step back," manager Chip Hale said. "He's better than that. He's got good stuff. He has to bear down and do a better job for us.
"He's had some really good outings for us and he's had some like this. ... As a major league pitcher, you have to pitch every time you walk out there -- just like a hitter -- like it's the last time you're going to pitch. That needs to be the focus when you're out there.
It was just the second loss for De La Rosa since May 1, but his ERA continues to hover near 5.00 because he is among the league leaders in home runs allowed. De La Rosa ranks third in the NL and fifth in baseball with 18 homers against after his sixth multi-homer game Sunday.
"I have to keep the ball down," said De La Rosa, who struck out three Rockies. "I tried to limit the damage."
"When the ball is up it goes far," Hale said. "Whether it's concentration or mechanical, we'll get to the bottom of it and fix it."
The D-backs had a chance to get themselves back in the game in a big way with one out and runners at second and third in the second inning when a woozy home plate umpire Fieldin Culbreth had to leave the game. After a nine-minute delay as Jim Reynolds replaced Culbreth, Chris Owings grounded out on the first pitch and De La Rosa grounded out to end the threat.
.384 -- Nick Ahmed was 10 for 26 with three extra-base hits on the eight-game homestand after his 3-for-5 performance Sunday.
-- The D-backs feel to 0-13 in games to get back to .500 since there were last there on April 24. "We'll get there eventually," said Paul Goldschmidt, who struck out to end the game with two runners on. "But our goal is not to be .500. Our goal is to be above .500."
-- Jorge De La Rosa won for the first time at Chase Field. He previously was 0-7. "I finally get my first win here; everybody was telling me about it," he said.
-- The D-backs ended a run of 16 games against the NL West with an 8-8 record. The D-backs host the Giants for three games immediately after the All-Star break and then don't face a division opponent again until Aug. 31, when they start a four-game series in Colorado.
The D-backs on Sunday acquired minor leaguer pitchers Josh Taylor and Chris Oliver and the Phillies' first international bonus pool slot (No. 9 overall) in exchange for Arizona's first international bonus pool slot (No. 1 overall). The No. 1 spot is worth $3.6 million, while the No. 9 spot is worth $1.3 million. Both Taylor and Oliver were pitching at Low-A Lakewood.
