Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Rockies Game Preview: 5/29/2013

     The Colorado Rockies are coming back home to take on the Houston Astros for two games starting tonight after they took one of two from Houston in Houston on Monday and Tuesday. The Rockies beat the Astros yesterday on a fine pitching performance from Jorge De La Rosa and they were carried offensively by Troy Tulowitzki and Michael Cuddyer.

     The Rockies will be sending Tyler Chatwood to the mound tonight to face the Astros offense. Chatwood is 3-0 on the year with a stellar 1.90 ERA in four starts. He shut out the Giants in his last start going six innings allowing four hits and no runs while walking one and striking out four. He has worked himself into the conversation for staying with the big club when it comes time for Jeff Francis to come off of the disabled list. Chatwood is 1-0 in starts at Coors Field with a 3.86 ERA. There are only three Astros that have ever faced Chatwood before and JD Martinez is the only one who has ever got a hit off of him when he had an RBI single. Chatwood will be looking to keep the ball low in the zone tonight and make sure that he does not come into the power zones for the Astros hitters. He can have a great night if he works around the zone as the Astros hitters are not very patient which they have shown as they have the most strikeouts as a team in the entire Major Leagues.

     The Astros will be countering Chatwood with veteran left hander Erik Bedard. Bedard has a good two pitch mix with a fastball in the low 90's and a big breaking curve ball that comes in around the upper 70's. He has battled injuries throughout his career and has also not had the command that he needs in order to warrant much consistent success. On the year Bedard has a 0-2 record with a 5.68 ERA. He has struggled away from Minute Maid Park as he has an 0-2 record with a 8.83 ERA in five games started, an ERA that has a danger to get even higher if he leaves any balls up in the zone to the talented Rockies hitters. Michael Cuddyer has the most at bats against Bedard with 24 and despite spending much of his time in the American League he has faced a good majority of the Rockies team. Combined the Rockies are hitting .246 against Bedard with one home run and 8 RBI in 65 at bats. Dexter Fowler, Carlos Gonzalez, and Todd Helton each have two hits in three at bats against the 34 year old.

     The Houston Astros lineup for today's game against the Rockies is as follows:
1. Brandon Barnes, CF
2. Jose Altuve, 2B
3. Jason Castro, C
4. JD Martinez, RF
5. Carlos Pena, 1B
6. Chris Carter, LF
7. Matt Dominguez, 3B
8. Ronny Cedeno, SS
9. Erik Bedard, P

     The Colorado Rockies lineup for today's game is as follows:
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Jordan Pacheco, 1B
3. Carlos Gonzalez, LF
4. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
5. Michael Cuddyer, RF
6. Wilin Rosario, C
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
9. Tyler Chatwood, P

     First pitch for tonight's game is scheduled for 6:40 PM Mountain time weather permitting.

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