TORONTO — A series that began with such promise for the Rockies turned into the same old, well-worn story on Sunday afternoon, with a 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays.
The Rockies opened the three-game set at Rogers Centre on Friday with a 20-hit, 12-4 victory over the Blue Jays. But after losing 5-3 on Saturday, the Rockies laid a giant goose egg on Sunday.
Colorado, which fell to 4-12, has not won a series this season. More telling, it has not won a series on the road since winning two of three games at St. Louis on Aug. 4-6 last season.
Veteran Toronto right-hander Jose Berrios dominated Colorado for seven innings, allowing just two hits while fanning seven.
Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland was no match for Berrios or designated hitter Justin Turner, who hit 3-for-4 and drove in three runs.
Freeland, 0-3 with a 13.21 ERA after four starts, allowed four runs on seven hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two.
The Blue Jay’s two-run third inning was Freeland’s undoing. Kevin Kiermaier grounded a ball up the middle, which Freeland kicked, and it turned into an infield single. Freeland’s pickoff attempt to first was wild, allowing Kiermaier to take second. Kiermaier advanced to third on George Springers’ lineout to center and scored on Vladimir Guerrero’s single up the middle. Guerrero then scored on Turner’s double into the left-field corner.
In the first inning, Turner’s bloop single into no-man’s land behind first base drove George Springer. Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers nearly came up with a circus catch but couldn’t quite pull it off.
Turner hurt Freeland again in the fifth, ripping a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Springer, who led off the inning with a single and got into scoring position by stealing second.
Colorado had two opportunities to score off Berrios but failed to get a key hit. In the first inning, Ezequiel Tovar was hit by a pitch and Ryan McMahon drew a walk off Berrios. They advanced on catcher Alejandro Kirk’s errant pickoff throw to first but were stranded when Elias Diaz fouled out to first and Nolan Jones struck out.
In the fifth, Elehuris Montero led off with a walk and Berrios plunked Jacob Stallings, but Berrios struck out Charlie Blackmon and Tovar and induced McMahon to pop up to center, ending the threat.
The Rockies open a three-game series at Philadelphia on Monday night.
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