Friday, July 26, 2013

Rockies Begin Crucial Series with Brewers

     The Rockies will be looking to shake off the last four games against the Marlins and get back to business against the Brewers. The Rockies offense has faltered over the last four games but they may have shown signs of breaking out of it when they scored three runs in their failed comeback attempt in the ninth inning yesterday. They will be taking on the Brewers and are more than happy that Ryan Braun will not be participating in the series. The Brewers have had a season to forget and it was added onto when their superstar Ryan Braun was suspended by Major League Baseball for the rest of the 2013 season. Pretty much the only thing that the Brewers have left to play for is trying to get playing time for players who will be a factor for them in many years to come.

     Tyler Chatwood will be taking the mound tonight for the Rockies and will be trying to lessen the sting of the last four days of baseball. Chatwood has been a fantastic surprise for the Rockies this year as he was called up early in the year for an injury replacement, but has made the most of his opportunity and forced himself into the starting rotation. On the year he is 6-3 with a 2.48 ERA. His last start against the Cubs was a good one for Chatwood as he picked up his sixth victory on the year. He lasted six innings in the game allowing seven hits, two runs (one earned), four walks and struck out two. He was able to limit the damage he took on with runners on base. He had an unusually high number of runners due in part to the seven hits, but he also walked a season high four batters. He needs to work more around the strike zone in today's start in order to work deeper into the game. Chatwood has been good at home this year as he has a 3-1 record with a 3.63 ERA in seven starts at Coors Field. There is not much history between Chatwood and current Brewers but it does favor Chatwood slightly. In 24 combined at bats they are hitting just .250 with one home run and four RBI. Martin Maldonado owns the home run off of Chatwood. Chatwood will be looking to work ahead of hitters and use his off speed pitches to keep the Brewers hitters off balance on the night. By doing this, it will allow him to paint the corners with his fastball and his strikeout numbers will be higher.

     Taking the ball for the Brewers tonight is hard throwing Wily Peralta. Peralta is a very talented young pitcher from the Dominican Republic. He has one of the highest average fastball velocities this year in the entire Major Leagues. He had a great start in his last outing against the Marlins but took the no decision as the Brewers took the victory after he was out of the game. In that start he went eight innings allowing just two hits, no runs, two walks and struck out seven. He has been one hottest pitchers in the game of baseball and has allowed one earned run or less in four straight starts including a complete game shutout against the Reds allowing only three hits in the game. The one thing that the Rockies will need to take advantage of is the fact that Peralta can be wild at times. If they can wait for him to come to them then they have a better chance of getting a mistake pitch that they can drive into the gap somewhere. On the road this year, Peralta has compiled a 3-3 record with a 3.98 ERA in nine games started. In 17 combined at bats against Peralta, current Rockies are hitting .353 with one home run and three RBI. Wilin Rosario is 1 for 2 against him with a home run and two RBI.

     The Brewers lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Rickie Weeks, 2B
2. Norichika Aoki, RF
3. Jean Segura, SS
4. Carlos Gomez, CF
5. Logan Schafer, LF
6. Martin Maldonado, C
7. Juan Francisco, 1B
8. Yuniesky Betancourt, 3B
9. Wily Peralta, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Todd Helton, 1B
6. Wilin Rosario, C
7. Charlie Blackmon, LF
8. Nolan Arenado, 3B
9. Tyler Chatwood, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 6:40 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be without Carlos Gonzalez for the game tonight who aggravated his finger issue that he had beofre the All Star break. He re-injured his finger in an at bat in the fourth inning of the game yesterday and had to be taken out of the game for a pinch hitter. The Rockies are hoping that it is nothing too serious and that he can avoid a stint on the disabled list.  

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