Rockies embarrassing defense allows “little league” inside-the-park home run
Associated PressIn the sixth inning of the Rockies vs. Cubs game, Colorado’s defense fell victim to a “little league” home run after two mind-numbing errors.
The Rockies opened the season with a 1-3 record before traveling to Chicago for a three-game set with the Cubs.
After a scoreless game for the first five innings, the Cubs got two runners on base in the bottom of the sixth with Christopher Morel stepping to the plate.
Morel crushed a breaking ball that caught too much of the strike zone, sending a hard-screaming ground ball at Colorado’s left fielder.
Alas, Nolan Jones’ glove came up too early. The ball scooted past him all the way to the ivy-covered walls of Wrigley Field.
By the time Jones made it to the errant baseball, two runs had already scored for the Cubs. Another miscue on the cut-off throw led to Morel scoring as well.
Chicago’s home crowd broke out in thunderous applause as Morel completed a “little league” home run. It is a term used by baseball fans when a hitter rounds all the bases and scores on a hit that never leaves the stadium.
Following Morel’s unprecedented home run, fans online were in complete shock. One Cubs fan called it “pure electricity,” while a Colorado fan account used only two words to share their disappointment.
That same feeling of despair appeared on the faces of the entire Rockies’ defense.
To that point, Colorado’s starting pitcher, Dakota Hudson, hadn’t allowed a single run. He pitched well enough to keep his squad in the game.
But the two errors in the field led to an instant shift in momentum. The Cubs followed up a three-run sixth inning with two more scores in the seventh.
The Rockies did not put up any fight on offense in a crushing 5-0 loss, knocking the team to 1-4.
Perhaps even worse, the disastrous sixth inning makes Colorado an early favorite for “worst defensive play of the 2024 MLB season.”
