Diamondbacks Offense Stymied in Loss to Rockies at Coors Field

A missed opportunity stings for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Aug 15, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left tfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (12) is thrown out at third in the sixth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Diamondbacks missed a golden opportunity to pick up ground in the standings Friday night following a 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. All the teams the D-backs are chasing in the standings for the third Wild Card lost, including the Mets, Reds, and Cardinals.

Diamondbacks Offense Falls Flat at Coors Field

It was a flat game for the offense. Just five days ago the D-backs tagged Rockies starter Tanner Gordon for 10 runs on 12 hits in 4.2 innings on their way to a 13-6 victory at Chase Field. It was a different story Friday however.

Gordon pitched into the sixth inning and gave up just three runs on five hits, a walk and two strikeouts. Time and time again he put balls over the middle of the plate, but D-backs hitters weren't able to deliver the knockout punch.

"It's frustrating for sure," manager Torey Lovullo told D-backs.TV's Jody Jackson postgame.

"These guys are engaged. They're expecting to win baseball games. And when you come up a little short and get one extra base hit in this type of venue, it's not anything that we predict.

"It seemed like they matched up the way they wanted to and it was really clean from their side. We're a very offensive team. When you hold us to three runs in this ballpark, you're doing a lot right. But we've got to turn the page and be ready tomorrow," Lovullo said.

Jake McCarthy managed to deliver a couple of RBI singles, one a blooper, and one an infield hit. But the Diamondbacks' slug disappeared in this game. A rally in the sixth inning was truncated by an out at third base by Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

The Rockies bullpen completely dominated the D-backs from the sixth inning on. Eight of the last 11 batters struck out, and all 10 of Arizona's strikeouts were swinging.

Dbacks.TV color analyst Bob Brenly lamented the fact that the D-backs once again did not take batting practice on the field, doing all their work in the cage. He claimed there is a pattern of stymied offense that fails to get going when this happens.

Brandon Pfaadt Not Bad but Not Good Enough

Brandon Pfaadt's outing wasn't pretty, but he managed to limit damage. He allowed a solo homer in the first inning to Hunter Goodman, his 25th of the year. That was followed by single runs for the Rockies in the third, fourth, and fifth innings.

The final run scored on Pfaadt was due to some poor outfield defense. McCarthy failed to cut off a base hit in right center that rolled to the wall for a triple. Two outs later Alek Thomas broke back on a blooper into center, and couldn't come back in quick enough, resulting in an RBI base hit.

Pfaadt managed to complete six innings, and finished strong with two strikeouts in his final frame. His pitching line against was six innings pitched, eight hits, four runs, two walks, and four strikeouts. He left the game trailing 4-3 and owning a 5.08 ERA.

"He kept us very, very close and very tight," Lovullo said. "I think [Thomas] had a little bit of a misread on that fly ball to center field... It could have been a totally different outcome, but it was still a quality start as far as I was concerned."

Rookies Juan Burgos and Andrew Hoffmann each pitched scoreless innings to keep it a one-run game, but the offense could not respond.

Game three of the series is Saturday at 5:10 p.m. MST. Ryne Nelson pitches for the Diamondbacks while rookie Chase Dollander starts for the Rockies.