Rockies Lose Close Game to Royals Despite Strong Pitching Performance

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Colorado Rockies struggled offensively once again, losing to the Kansas City Royals, 4-3, at Kauffman Stadium on April 22, 2025.

Ryan Feltner took the mound for the Rockies and delivered a strong performance, allowing only one run through seven innings. He faced trouble only once, giving up a hit to left fielder Drew Waters in the third inning. After that, Feltner displayed control over his pitches, limiting the Royals to three hits and recording seven strikeouts by the time he completed his outing.

The game turned in the sixth inning when Waters hit a home run off a hanging slider from Feltner, giving the Royals a 1-0 lead. Rockies manager Bud Black praised Feltner’s performance, saying, “He pitched great, except for one pitch.”

Despite Feltner’s efforts, the Rockies’ batting lineup struggled throughout the game. Starter Kris Bubic held the Rockies to four hits over seven innings, striking out six batters. With Ryan McMahon striking out three times, his strikeout percentage now stands at 38.2%, the second highest in Major League Baseball.

After a rocky eighth inning featuring pitchers Lucas Erceg and Jaden Hill, the Rockies found themselves trailing 2-0. However, a late-game surge saw them rally to tie the game. In the ninth inning, a double from Jacob Stallings gave the Rockies a short-lived lead of 3-2.

Eventually, the Royals leveled the score again, leading to extra innings where both teams had chances to capitalize. Rockies reliever Seth Halvorsen gave up a key hit in the eleventh, allowing the Royals to walk it off with a final score of 4-3 after Freddy Fermín’s single.

The Rockies remain the only team in the league without two consecutive wins as they prepare for another matchup against the Royals. Tomorrow night, Germán Márquez will take the mound against Michael Lorenzen, with the game starting at 5:40 p.m.