Would\u2019ve, could\u2019ve, should\u2019ve. That\u2019s the sad story of the Rockies\u2019 4-3 walk-off loss to the Marlins on Sunday.\n<\/p>\n
Owen Caissie hit a changeup from Victor Vodnik<\/a>, sending it 394 feet and over the right-center field wall for a two-run dagger to the Rockies\u2019 heart.\n<\/p>\n Actually, would\u2019ve, could\u2019ve, should\u2019ve was the theme of the Rockies\u2019 failures throughout the season\u2019s opening series at Miami\u2019s loanDepot Park. Colorado lost every game by one run (2-1, 4-3, 4-3) en route to being swept in the opening series of the season for just the second time in franchise history. The last time? That would be 1994, when the Phillies came into Denver and won the first three games of the season at the old Mile High Stadium.\n<\/p>\n But manager Warren Schaeffer<\/a>, as is his wont, refused to go down a gloomy path, choosing a positive spin instead.<\/p>\n Rockies predictions: 103 losses, joining Washington Senators in MLB infamy | Journal<\/a><\/p>\n “Listen, I think the boys are playing good,” Schaeffer told reporters in Miami. “We were right in these ballgames. We could have won all three of these ballgames. We have, what, 159 left to go? If we keep playing like that, we are going to win a lot of ballgames this year.”<\/p>\n However, until the Rockies start winning these types of games, the specter of last season’s 119-loss debacle will remain.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Here are the details of Sunday’s loss.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Rockies took a 3-0 lead in the first on Jordan Beck<\/a>‘s three-run double off right-hander Max Meyer. The Marlins blanked the Rockies after that.<\/p>\n \u2022 Colorado’s Miami vice? It hit 1 for 12 with runners in scoring position on Sunday and 3 for 20 (.150) for the series. The Rockies also struck out 11 times on Sunday.<\/p>\n \u2022 The Rockies entered the ninth leading 3-2. When Miami’s Liam Hicks lined out to first baseman Troy Johnson for a double play, Colorado’s victory looked secure, and Vodnik was eyeing his first save.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n Not so fast. Javier Sanoja lined a double over the head of left fielder Jake McCarthy, who missed making the grab by inches. Up stepped Caissie, who clobbered Vodnik’s 0-1 pitch for the walk-off.\n<\/p>\n “‘Vic’ throws a swing-and-miss changeup, so you live and die by that,” Schaeffer said. “The guy just hit one out of the park.”<\/p>\n The biggest takeaway from the opening series is that the rebuilt Rockies need to hit better in the clutch. Going 3 for 20 with runners in scoring position is not going to cut it, especially on the road, where Schaeffer pledges that the Rockies are going to be a running team. Last season, the Rockies hit .211 with RISP on the road en route to an 18-63 record.<\/p>\n .\n<\/p>\n On the plus side, the Rockies stole five bases and were caught only once during the three-game set.<\/p>\n And, despite the sweep and despite Vodnik serving up the game-winner in the ninth on Sunday, the Rockies’ pitching was, overall, solid. The starters posted a 4.85 ERA, just so-so in pitcher-friendly loanDepot Park. The bullpen, however, was excellent, posting a 2.31 ERA and a .233 average against over 11 2\/3 innings.\n<\/p>\n