The Colorado Springs Gazette final

Ureña gives up three homers as Rockies have no answers

BY DANIELLE ALLENTUCK danielle.allentuck@gazette.com

DENVER • José Ureña’s time with the Colorado Rockies can be seen as an audition.

His performance lately means his spot in the show may be on the line.

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Ureña — signed by the Rockies to a minor league contract in May after being designated for assignment by the Brewers — broke a leg in his first four starts for the Rockies, allowing just three runs over 18.2 innings pitched. Then the curtain came up, and since then he hasn’t been the same.

He has a 7.77 ERA across his last five starts, allowing six home runs in that span. Three of those home runs, came on Saturday, as the Arizona Diamondbacks beat the Rockies 6-0.

“They hit it, they are getting aggressive out there,” Ureña said. We tried to find a way that we started, we tried to give it everything we had to keep it the same way it was, but sometimes it doesn’t go the way you want.”

Ureña, a veteran who spent six years in Miami, will be a free agent after this season. The Rockies are in need of starting pitching depth, and the Rockies will need to fill out the back end of their rotation next season.

Only Germán Márquez, Kyle Freeland and Antonio Senzatela are set, as Chad Kuhl will also be a free agent after this season.

Ryan Feltner and Austin Gomber are two other options, but Feltner has been shuffled between Triple-a and the majors this season. Gomber has struggled this year, and has spent the past two months in the bullpen. Free agency is an option, but given the track record of the team, the Rockies likely won’t find a top starter that way.

So for now, the Rockies will continue to evaluate what they already have. On Saturday, giving up long balls again

plagued Ureña. Emmanuel Rivera got to him twice, and has three off him in their last two meetings. Josh Rojas also homered, making it just over the wall in the shallowest part of the ballpark. Moving forward, Ureña needs to get the ball down more consistently, and avoid the mistake pitches that opponents can easily take advantage of.

While Ureña wasn’t labored, the Rockies had no answers for the Diamondbacks.

They had only two hits off Zac Gallen in seven innings and couldn’t get past first base. Gallen’s curveball was especially deadly, pulling it out when he was behind in counts to puzzle the Rockies’ hitters.

“If you guess with him or try to chase him around the zone, you’re in trouble,” Black said.

“He moves the ball around. He’s in, he’s away, he’s in, he’s up. You can’t chase him.”

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Colomé to IL

Alex Colomé was placed on the injured list on Saturday with a right lateral epicondylitis, more commonly known as tennis elbow.

The severity of the injury is not known yet, but the Rockies are now down two late-inning relievers as Tyler Kinley was ruled out for the season in June.

Carlos Estévez and Daniel Bard will be called on to carry the workload.

Justin Lawrence was recalled to replace Colomé. Lawrence has just one option left this season.

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2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-14T07:00:00.0000000Z

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The Gazette, Colorado Springs