The ballpark’s heavenly opening afternoon — a setting out of a Cezanne landscape — morphed into a Botticelli painting of Hades.

The Rockies trailed the dreaded Dodgers 9-1 in the seventh, and their faithful followers became listless as Grape Expectations were not being realized. Thousands booed — either because they loathe The Dodgers, or they were dismayed by The Rox. Perhaps both. Most spectators in the sellout crowd, who had given the Rockies a standing ovation during the pregame introductions, stood up again — to leave.

The Rockies, and pitcher Tyler Anderson, were squelched in the first home game of the season, 10-6. Jon Gray was Saturday’s starter as he and the Rox were squashed by the Dodgers once more in the second of three games, 7-2.

Rockies remain optimistic despite slow start and drubbing in home opener

A foul ball soared into the upper deck behind third and was presented to a 3-year-old boy. He tossed the ball over the railing, where it thumped loudly below on the concrete flooring by a shocked man, who looked up to see if the sky was falling. A woman soon appeared, apologized for her son and asked for the ball.

A fellow next to me — I always spend the first game among real fans, not press box scallywags — asked: “How we going to do?’’

“Not so good so far. But last year the Rockies lost their opener here 8-3, then were shut out and sunk to a 5-7 record April 10. They came back to make the playoff. It’s way too early to give up.’’

He and his wife left.

Chris Iannetta, who has played more games (518) than any other Rockies catcher, cautioned reporters after his home run produced a 1-0 victory in the 11th inning in St. Pete Wednesday: “Everybody outside the clubhouse was hitting the panic button. I think everyone wanted everyone traded, sent down, contracts retracted, shot by firing squad. … Everyone was ready to jump off the bandwagon.’’

Iannetta’s “firing squad’’ remark was imprudent, and his “everyone’’ references were impetuous.

Nobody has dismissed the Rox as pretenders, not contenders, after eight games, one dismal defeat in LoDo and a 3-5 mark. The calliope is playing strong, even if the Rockies aren’t.

Paul Klee: The Colorado boom is most evident on Rockies' Opening Day at Coors Field

On Saturday morning the World Series champions were 2-7, and 11 other teams were under .500.

However, some valid observations can be made.

The Dodgers aren’t going away. The last time these clubs met, L.A. won the division tiebreaker. Before Saturday night’s game in Denver, six Dodgers were hitting .350 and higher.

They had 21 home runs and 65 runs. Their rotation, without Clayton Kershaw, was without a loss.

Regarding the Rockies, “everyone’’ from Bud Black to Iannetta acknowledge that the 2018 offense was among the worst in franchise history: .256/.324/.435 with 210 homers and 1,397 strikeouts. “Everyone’’ in the organization I talked to in spring training promised a major upgrade.

In the small sampling, the Rockies’ overall batting line is .210/.266/.318 with four home runs (three by Trevor Story, including a pair Friday) and 79 Ks, including 12 by outfielders Ian Desmond and David Dahl and 11 by Story. The Rox may be in denial, but those numbers are in decline.

Desmond’s transfer has produced mixed results. He’s off to an appalling start at the plate — once more — at .115 you wouldn’t wish on Yasiel Puig with the Reds (.125). He performed a Cirque du Soleil snare in Miami to rob a home run, On Friday, though, Desmond looked like a circus sideshow curiosity in the fifth when he mangled what should have been a catch at the base of the wall.

He taketh, and he giveth away.

The Rockies and their only major offseason free agent signing, Daniel Murphy, suffered a bad break that undeniably hurts the offense. He will be out for more than a month with an index finger fracture.

The NL save leader last year, Wade Davis, doesn’t have one. He can’t be blamed. He hasn’t been in a game in a save situation, but Davis earned a victory in the extra-inning game.

The bullpen was, and remains, a most serious matter.

Three relievers (Chris Rusin, Antonio Senzatela and Jake McGee) are the injured list, and Mike Dunn and D.J. Johnson are not feeling so good themselves on the mound.

Kyle Freeland and German Marquez have been brilliant, but middle starter Tyler Anderson has lost eight of his last nine decisions (two in ’19), and the Rockies have lost 20 of the left-hander’s past 28 starts.

Attention: Cleanup is needed on Aisle Rockies. The opening two games have left a mess.