The Cincinnati Reds' small margin for error hurt them in another tough loss.
Ryan Mattheus uncorked a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth, allowing Charlie Blackmon to race home with the winning run in the Colorado Rockies' 6-5 win over the Reds on Friday night.
Joey Votto homered among his three hits for the Reds, who were victimized by little mistakes in losing for the fifth time in seven games.
"We're not to that point where we're creating so much separation that we can play through a mistake," manager Bryan Price said. "Close games, we have to play well."
After Votto homered in the top of the ninth off closer John Axford (3-3) to tie the game at 5, Blackmon manufactured a run in the bottom of the inning.
He laid down a one-out bunt single and stole second. He initially was called out but a replay review showed second baseman Brandon Phillips, who fell as he caught catcher Tucker Barnhart's throw on a hop, didn't quite get the tag down before Blackmon slid into the bag. Colorado challenged and the call was reversed.
Blackmon moved to third on D.J. LeMahieu's groundout, and with Troy Tulowitzki at the plate, reliever Ryan Mattheus (1-2) bounced a wild pitch that Barnhart couldn't corral. Blackmon bolted home.
"There's a lot of regrettable moments in tonight's game," Price said.
The loss was compounded after the Reds failed to open up a bigger lead in the eighth.
With the score tied at 3-all, pinch-hitter Skip Schumaker hit an RBI double off reliever LaTroy Hawkins and Barnhart advanced to third. Billy Hamilton tried to bunt on a squeeze play but fouled it into catcher Nick Hundley's glove and Barnhart was out in a rundown.
Hamilton grounded out to end the inning.
The Rockies came right back in their half of the eighth. Carlos Gonzalez connected for his second homer of the game, this one off reliever J.J. Hoover, to even the score again. It was his first multihomer game of the season and the 11th of his career.
Nolan Arenado followed with a triple off the right field wall and scored on Ben Paulsen's sacrifice fly.
It was the second consecutive blown save for Hoover.
"Tonight I felt I executed every pitch I could," he said. "I felt like I had some of the best stuff I had this year. I was keeping the ball down, made a good pitch to CarGo, he just got it. It's frustrating."
Axford retired the first batter before Votto hit his 18th homer into the left-field bleachers. Axford, who blew a save for the third time this season, came back to fan Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce.
Held hitless by Anthony DeSclafani through the first four innings and trailing 3-0, the Rockies erupted for five hits in the fifth but got only two runs after starting pitcher Eddie Butler, trying to score from second on LeMahieu's long base hit to the right field wall, stumbled and fell twice rounding third and was tagged out as he neared home. With runners at second and third, Tulowitzki popped out to end the inning.
Gonzalez also homered to lead off the bottom of the sixth, driving the first pitch from DeSclafani into the second deck above the right field wall to again tie the game.
EFFICIENT WORK
DeSclafani didn't let Gonzalez's home run hurt his rhythm. Despite giving up the solo blast, he needed just five pitches to get out of the sixth. He worked at least seven innings for the fifth time.
"It was a battle the last two innings," he said. "I was trying to put up zeros. I felt like they were starting to hunt some fastballs and I just wanted to keep attacking and mix it up."
TRAINER'S ROOM
Rockies: Struggling reliever Rex Brothers was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque to make room for the reinstatement from the 15-day disabled list of OF Corey Dickerson (plantar fasciitis). Backup catcher Michael McKenry's availability has been limited in the last few days because of a fluid buildup in his right knee.
UP NEXT
Reds: Since missing a start on May 24 because of a sore pitching elbow, RHP Johnny Cueto (6-6) has gone 3-2 with a 2.51 ERA.
Rockies: LHP Chris Rusin (3-3) will get a chance to build on his success at Coors Field, where he has gone 2-0 with a 3.24 ERA over four starts this season.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.