Rockies fall to Brewers on June 29 despite Orlando Arcia's game-tying 9th-inning HR. Read how late heroics from Arcia & Doyle weren't enough in the loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
For one glorious moment, it looked like the Rockies had pulled off a miracle. Orlando Arcia, watching his second home run of the season sail into the Milwaukee sky, had tied the game in the top of the ninth with a single swing. But baseball can be a cruel game, and despite the late-game heroics, the Rockies ultimately couldn't close it out, dropping a tough contest to the Brewers on Sunday afternoon.
With the Rockies down to their final outs, Orlando Arcia sent a 100.6 mph laser 386 feet to tie the game in the top of the ninth.
The Rockies' offense was quiet for much of the day before roaring to life in the final frames. The rally began in the eighth inning when Ryan McMahon hustled out an infield single and smartly advanced to second on a throwing error. That set the stage for Brenton Doyle, who smoked his 11th double of the year to deep center, bringing McMahon home and cutting into the Brewers' lead. The real fireworks came in the ninth. Facing hard-throwing closer Trevor Megill, Orlando Arcia squared up a pitch and launched a game-tying solo shot, a 386-foot line drive that silenced the home crowd and gave the Rockies new life. While the comeback ultimately fell short, the late-inning tenacity was a welcome sight.
While the loss stings, several individual performances provided a silver lining. Ryan McMahon's hustle created the Rockies' first run out of thin air, a perfect example of the gritty play that can spark a rally. Brenton Doyle continues to be a reliable run-producer, with his clutch double adding to his team-leading RBI total. And of course, there's Orlando Arcia. His second homer of the year couldn't have come at a bigger moment, showcasing the pop he can provide from the middle infield. These flashes of clutch hitting are what the team needs to build on moving forward.
While the big-league club battled in Milwaukee, the future of the organization continues to shine brightly in the minor leagues. As the first half of the minor league season wraps up, several prospects have put together monster months. In Triple-A, infielder Warming Bernabel has been on an absolute tear, hitting .423 in June. At Double-A Hartford, lefty Sean Sullivan has been dominant, posting a 2.95 ERA, while outfielder Cole Carrigg and infielder Kyle Karros are also putting up impressive numbers. This pipeline of talent offers hope that more reinforcements are on the way to Coors Field.
It's another one that stings, no doubt. But the fight the Rockies showed in the final innings against a quality team like the Brewers is the silver lining. The challenge now is to channel that late-game energy into the start of games and turn these dramatic moments into W's. The pieces are there, from the clutch bats at the big-league level to the promising talent in the minors. Now, it's about putting it all together.
