Rockies Go For Another Win Against Reds

     It was Todd Helton throwback night at Coors Field last night as he exploded at the plate and led the Rockies to a 9-6 victory over the Reds. Helton went 2 for 5 on the night with two three run home runs. It was Helton's first multi-home run game since 2011 and the six RBI was the most for him in a game since 2003 when he also had six RBI in a game against the Dodgers. The Rockies finished the game with 19 hits which was one shy of their season high. Six Rockies had multiple hits on the night led by Wilin Rosario who had four, and Troy Tulowitzki and Charlie Blackmon who had three hits apiece. It was a good start to the series for the Rockies and they will look to dominate the Reds again on Saturday night.

     The Rockies will hand the ball off to Juan Nicasio tonight in the second game of the series against the Reds. Nicasio is 8-6 on the year with a 4.57 ERA in 25 games started. His ERA is high on the year, but since he was recalled from the Minor Leagues he has been much better than that. He got the win in his last start against the Giants as he went six innings allowing only four hits, no runs, two walks and struck out nine. The nine strikeouts tied a season high for him which he also had in a game against the Marlins towards the end of July. Nicasio has been good at home this year as he has a 4-1 record with a good 3.56 ERA in 11 starts at Coors Field. This will be the second start against the Reds this year for Nicasio as he also faced off against them on June 4th at Cincinnati. In that game he got a no decision as he went six innings allowing five hits, three runs, issued two walks and struck out three. Current Reds players are hitting for just a .192 combined average with four doubles and three RBI in 26 at bats. Nicasio will need to show control tonight and work the bottom half of the zone. The Reds are notorious for capitalizing on pitches up in the zone, and when they do the opposing teams are going to be in for a long night.

     The Reds will be sending Former Rockies pitcher Greg Reynolds to the mound tonight to face off against his former team. Reynolds was a former 1st round pick (2nd overall) in the 2006 draft by the Rockies, but he never panned out and was what many consider to be a draft bust. This year he has made two starts and has taken the loss in each of those games. He pitched well in his last start against the Brewers but did not get much run support which is why he took the loss. In that game he went six innings allowing five hits, two runs, had two walks and struck out two. The only Rockies player that he has ever faced is Michael Cuddyer and he has no hits in three at bats against him. The Rockies are familiar with Reynolds and what he throws so it will be no surprise when he takes the hill. He will obviously be going out there tonight looking to make a statement against his former team and show that he still has the stuff to be considered a great pitcher. The Rockies will need to jump on him early and often and try to make sure that he remembers why the Rockies let him go.

     The Reds lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Shin-Soo Choo, CF
2. Brandon Phillips, 2B
3. Joey Votto, 1B
4. Jay Bruce, RF
5. Ryan Ludwick, LF
6. Todd Frazier, 3B
7. Devin Mesoraco, C
8. Zack Cozart, SS
9. Greg Reynolds, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Corey Dickerson, LF
2. Jonathan Herrera, 2B
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Todd Helton, 1B
6. Wilin Rosario, C
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. Charlie Blackmon, CF
9. Juan Nicasio, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 6:10 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to secure a third straight series victory and also trying to build on their offensive success from last night. Juan Nicasio will be looking for his ninth victory of the season and get the win in his third straight decision.

Rockies Begin Series with Reds

     The Rockies are coming into this series with the Reds with something that has been hard for them to get in the second half of their season...momentum. They have been able to win the last two series against the Marlins and the Giants by winning the first and third games against their inferior opponents. This has given them the confidence to move forward and try and get something going to be able to finish out the season on a high note. The Rockies starting pitchers have had good success over the last week as the pitchers have not allowed more than five runs in a game since August 18th in Baltimore. They will be looking to keep that momentum going against a very talented Reds offense that is currently destined to make the Playoffs. The Rockies have a chance to play spoiler and ruin the Reds plans for postseason plans.

     The Rockies have chosen to skip Jeff Manship in the rotation and hand the ball off to Jorge De La Rosa on his normal five days of rest. De La Rosa has been solid for the Rockies this year and has a 14-6 record with a 3.28 ERA in 27 games started. He won his last start against the Marlins despite only lasting five innings. He allowed five hits and three runs in the game and struggled with command as he walked three batters. He was seemingly behind every hitter in the game which forced him to bring his fastball straight to them, but lucky for him, he was facing off against the Marlins and they were unable to capitalize against him. He has been outstanding this year at home as he has compiled a 8-1 record with a 2.58 ERA in 12 games started. Current Reds have not had much success against De La Rosa as they are hitting for a .189 average with three home runs and eight RBI in 37 combined at bats. Ryan Ludwick has seen him the most and is 4 for 18 against De La Rosa with two home runs and three RBI. The Reds are a team that is very patient at the plate and they will try and work the count into their favor every time they go up there. De La Rosa will need to work ahead in the count and force the Reds hitters to chase pitches they would normally not swing at.

     The Reds will be sending Bronson Arroyo to the mound tonight to face off against the Rockies offense. This year, Arroyo has posted a 13-9 record with a 3.42 ERA over 26 games started. He got the victory his last time out against the Brewers when he went seven innings allowing seven hits, three runs, no walks and struck out six hitters on the night. In the last ten starts he is 7-3 and is really starting to come on strong down the home stretch for the Reds. In nine of those ten starts he has allowed three runs or less and has gone at least six innings in eight of those starts. He has not pitched great on the road this year as he is 4-6 with a 3.76 ERA in 10 games started away from home. Current Rockies hitters have a .283 average against Arroyo with five home runs and 14 RBI in 127 combined at bats. Troy Tulowitzki and Todd Helton each have two home runs and five RBI against the veteran right hander.

     The Reds lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Shin-Soo Choo, CF
2. Brandon Phillips, 2B
3. Joey Votto, 1B
4. Ryan Ludwick, LF
5. Jay Bruce, RF
6. Todd Frazier, 3B
7. Zack Cozart, SS
8. Ryan Hanigan, C
9. Bronson Arroyo, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Corey Dickerson, CF
2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Wilin Rosario, C
5. Todd Helton, 1B
6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
7. Charlie Blackmon, RF
8. Charlie Culberson, LF
9. Jorge De La Rosa, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 6:40 PM Mountain time. Jorge De La Rosa will be going for his fifth consecutive win and will be trying to tame the powerful Reds offense. The Rockies will try and get a good start to this series and set themselves up for a chance to win a third straight series.  

Chacin Flirts With No Hitter and defeats Giants in Finale

     Jhoulys Chacin was magnificent on the mound tonight as he was able to limit the Giants to one hit over seven innings of work on his way to getting the victory as the Rockies held on for a 5-4 victory. He had a no hitter until Brandon Crawford singled with two outs in the seventh inning. This was the longest no hit bid that a Rockies pitcher has ever had at Coors Field. The bullpen tried to give away the lead in the eighth inning but they were able to hang on for the one run victory. The Rockies were able to pick up the series victory against the Giants, which makes two straight series wins.

     Chacin finished the game going seven innings allowing one un earned run on one hit, issued two walks and struck out nine batters. The nine strikeouts for Chacin is a season high for him this year. He seemed to have all of his stuff working on the night and was able to limit the Giants offense all night long. He worked around three Rockies errors which elevated his pitch count, but he never lost focus at all after they happened. Wilton Lopez came in to pitch the eighth inning and gave up back to back singles after getting the first guy out. Weiss then went with Josh Outman to pitch to Brandon Belt, and Belt drilled a ground rule double to get one run in. The Giants then added two more runs to cut the Rockies lead to just one. Rex Brothers came in and shut the Giants down in the ninth inning to pick up his 14th save of the year.

     The Rockies only managed to get seven hits on the night, but they were timely hits and they were able to get five runs out of them. The big hit for the Rockies was a bases loaded ground rule double off of the bat of Yorvit Torrealba which extended the Rockies lead in the seventh inning. Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario each remained hot at the plate as they each went 2 for 3 on the night.

     The Rockies have earned a night off so they will take tomorrow off before getting back to action on Friday night against the Reds.

     

Rockies Look for Series Win Against Giants

     The Rockies stumbled out of the gate last night and never fully recovered leading to them dropping the second game of their series with the Giants by a final score of 5-3 last night. Chad Bettis allowed back to back home runs in the first inning to Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval and before most of the fans had even found their seat, the Giants had a 3-0 lead. They did not look back and finished the Rockies off. Sergio Romo got his 32nd save of the year as he retired the Rockies in order in the ninth inning.

     Tonight the Rockies will be sending Jhoulys Chacin to the mound to face off against the Giants. Chacin is having a great year and has showed that he can keep his emotions under check while on the mound this year. He has a 12-7 record this year with a 3.22 ERA in 25 starts on the season. He was able to pick up his 12th win of the season in his last start against the Marlins in Miami. He was very good in that start as he went seven innings allowing just four hits, two runs, issued four walks and struck out five. The four walks for him was a season high, but he was able to limit the damage when the runners did reach base. It is something that he will not want to get into a habit of doing as he will surely not get away with another game like that when he is facing a decent opponent. At home this year he has a higher ERA but he has been able to pitch to a 7-3 record in 14 games started. This year against the Giants he has made two starts and is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA. On June 28th he had a fantastic game against the Giants as he pitched eight shutout innings allowing just three hits in the game and picked up the victory. Current Giants players are hitting .275 against Chacin with two home runs and 12 RBI in 138 combined at bats. Chacin will need to work the ball low in the zone and work the corners tonight as he faces off against the Giants. The Giants are a patient team at the plate so if he tries to nibble on the corners he will be risking elevating his pitch count and getting his walk numbers higher again.

     Tonight the Giants will be sending Madison Bumgarner to the hill to counter Jhoulys Chacin. Bumgarner has quietly had a very good season for the struggling Giants. On the year he has an 11-8 record with a very good 2.84 ERA. He has been solid throughout the year for the Giants but his record does not indicate it, but the Giants have failed to give him much support when he is on the mound. He took a loss in his last game out against the Pirates despite pitching well in the game. He went eight innings allowing seven hits and three runs, but the Giants lost the game 3-1. He is 7-4 on the road this year with a 3.17 ERA in 14 games started this season. He has faced off against the Rockies three times this year and has a 2-1 record with a high 5.19 ERA. His last start against the Rockies was on June 30th and he picked up the win in that game as he went seven innings allowing just four hits and one run. The Rockies have done well in their career matchups against Bumgarner as they have a .288 average with seven home runs and 25 RBI in 184 combined at bats. He is a talented pitcher that the Rockies are very familiar with. They will need to swing early in the count because once he gets two strikes on a hitter then he can use his wipeout slider to get the out.

     The Giants lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Gregor Blanco, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, 2B
3. Brandon Belt, 1B
4. Buster Posey, C
5. Hunter Pence, RF
6. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Roger Kieschnick, LF
9. Madison Bumgarner, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Charlie Blackmon, CF
2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Wilin Rosario, 1B
6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
7. Yorvit Torrealba, C
8. Charlie Culberson, LF
9. Jhoulys Chacin, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 6:40 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to get the series victory against the Giants and continue to have a great record against division opponents. Jhoulys Chacin will be trying to limit the Giants offense tonight and pick up his 13th victory of the season.

Rockies Game Recap 8/27

     It was a first inning to forget for Chad Bettis and the Rockies as he struggled and gave up three runs to Giants. They were never able to recover in the game and eventually ended up dropping the second game by a final score of 5-3. Bettis bounced back after the first inning and ended up not having a bad night, but it was not enough to get his first career victory in the Major Leagues. Yusmeiro Petit danced in and out of danger for six innings and allowed only two runs and picked up his first victory on the year. The middle of the lineup for the Giants did the majority of the damage on the night as Brandon Belt had four hits and Pablo Sandoval added three of his own. Hunter Pence and Pablo Sandoval hit back to back home runs in the first inning and they never looked back. Sergio Romo came in and closed the door on the Rockies in the ninth inning and was able to record his 32nd save of the season.

     Chad Bettis struggled in the first inning as he gave up the back to back home runs and the Rockies trailed 3-0 before they even had a chance to bat. He was able to regain his composure and only allow one other run in his next five innings of work. His final line was six innings allowing nine hits, four runs, one walk and struck out two. He lasted a lot longer than everyone thought he would after the rough start he had in the first inning. Unfortunately the Rockies were never able to bounce back from the defecit and failed to get much going against the Giants pitching staff.

     Offensively the Rockies were led by Wilin Rosario who went 3 for 4 with a double and one RBI. Charlie Blackmon had a double and an RBI and DJ LeMahieu accounted for the other Rockies run with an RBI groundout in the seventh inning. Other than that the Rockies were limited on the night.

     The Rockies will be back in action tomorrow night as they finish off their series with the Giants. Tomorrow night's game looks like it will be a pitcher's duel as Jhoulys Chacin (12-7 3.22 ERA) will be taking on Madison Bumgarner (11-8, 2.84 ERA). First pitch for the game tomorrow is at 6:40 PM Mountain time.

Rockies look to Dominate Giants Again

     The Rockies took down their rival Giants last night by a final score of 6-1. The Rockies got home runs from Todd Helton and Charlie Blackmon, as well as six shutout innings from starting pitcher Juan Nicasio. It was a strong start to the series and a strong start to the current nine game home stand. The Rockies will try and finish out the season strong and get a look at some prospects that will be a factor in years to come for the team. It has been a disappointing stretch for the Rockies as they hung close in the division race for much of the first half, but fell apart in the second half as their struggles on the road eventually led to their demise.

     Tonight the Rockies will be handing the ball off to Chad Bettis as he looks to get his first career major league victory. He had a victory snatched away from him in his last start when he took on the Phillies. He had his best start of the year as he went 5 1/3rd innings allowing six hits, one run, issued one walk, and struck out five batters. He left the game with a 4-1 lead but Rafael Betancourt blew a save in the ninth inning and cost him his first victory in the Major Leagues. He has made one start at home this year and pitched well against the Pirates but took a no decision in the game. He went six innings allowing just four hits, two runs, two walks and struck out three. Bettis will need to work the corners of the plate against the Giants hitters as they feast on any mistakes that a pitcher leaves over the middle of the plate. He showed glimpses of being a formidable pitcher in his last start as he had good command of all of his pitches. He will need to show more of that in this start tonight.

     Tonight the Giants will be sending Yusmeiro Petit to the hill to face off against the Rockies. Petit has only pitched in one game this year for the Giants which was an emergency appearance as he relieved Eric Surkamp in a game in July. In that game he pitched well as he went 5 1/3rd innings allowing six hits, two runs, no walks and struck out seven. He has been starting at the AAA level for the Giants and has put up mediocre numbers on the year. At Fresno he has a 5-6 record with a 4.52 ERA in 15 games started on the year. The one plus that he does have is that he has high strikeout numbers and good command so he can limit the amount of walks he issues. He does not have great stuff, which is surprising since he has great strikeout numbers throughout his career. He will rely heavily on his slider and curveball. He has great command with all of his pitches and can hit the spots with ease. He hides the ball really well in his delivery so it is hard for hitters to pick the ball up out of his hand. The Rockies will have the task of trying to figure him out tonight.

     The Giants lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Gregor Blanco, CF
2. Marco Scutaro, 2B
3. Brandon Belt, 1B
4. Hunter Pence, RF
5. Pablo Sandoval, 3B
6. Hector Sanchez, C
7. Brandon Crawford, SS
8. Roger Kieschnick, LF
9. Yusmeiro Petit, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 6:40 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be trying to get two wins in a row which has been much harder for them than it should be in the second half of the season. In other news, the results of Rafael Betancourt's MRI revealed that he has a full tear of his UCL in his elbow which could be the end of his career. He is going to try some platelet rich injections to see if that will build some scar tissue enough to allow him to pitch again. If the injections do not work then he will retire as opposed to having Tommy John Surgery and rehabbing in order to come back.

Rockies Drop Second Game in Miami

     The Rockies ran into a buzzsaw named Jose Fernandez tonight and they were unable to get anything going against him and eventually lost the game by a final score of 3-0. Fernandez was dominant for the seven innings he was in the game and allowed only four hits, no runs, no walks and struck out eight. Jeff Manship pitched better tonight than he had in his previous three starts, but still was not great and picked up his fourth loss in a row. Steve Cishek came in and shut the door on the Rockies in the ninth inning and picked up his 28th save of the year.

     Jeff Manship went deeper into the game tonight than he had in his other starts but still was unable to avoid the big inning from the opposition. In the game he went six innings allowing only four hits, three runs, had two walks and struck out four. He looked good early on in the game but ran into trouble in the fourth inning. The Marlins got all three of their runs tonight in the fourth inning and three of the four hits that Manship gave up were in the inning. If he can learn to avoid those big innings then he has a chance to be a successful pitcher, but until he does that he will continue to be a liability.

     Offensively the Rockies could not get anything going and only managed to get four hits in the game. Michael Cuddyer and Todd Helton were the only two Rockies to get hits as each of them had two hits in the game. Dexter Fowler, Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario struggled and each had two strikeouts in the game and were held hitless.

     The Rockies and Marlins will conclude their series tomorrow afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 11:10 AM Mountain time. Jorge De La Rosa (13-6, 3.21 ERA) will be taking on Jacob Turner(3-4, 3.04 ERA) for the Marlins. The Rockies will be trying to get what has become a very rare road series win.

Rockies Game Preview 8/24

     The Rockies were finally able to hold onto a lead in the ninth inning last night and came away victorious by a final score of 3-2. Jhoulys Chacin picked up his 12th victory of the season and the middle of the order remained hot at the plate. The Rockies struggles on the road in the second half have made it almost unbearable to watch, but tonight they will be trying to get their second consecutive road win for the first time since June. They have the right matchup to do so as they are facing off against an inferior Marlins team, but they have a tough draw tonight as they are facing off against one of the top young arms in the entire game of baseball.

     The Rockies will be sending Jeff Manship to the hill tonight to see if he can get out of his slumping start to the season. On the year Manship has an 0-3 record with an atrocious 7.80 ERA in three starts. It was the same story in his last start as he went five innings allowing six hits, five runs, one walk and struck out four in a loss to the Phillies. He is 0-2 on the road this year with a 6.30 ERA. A few Marlins have seen Manship during his time as a member of the Twins and they are 3 for 7 against him with one double. Manship does not have the repertoire to get away with leaving balls up in the zone. He has made too many mistakes on pitches that he has left up in the zone, and opposing hitters are making him pay for them. He needs to work his fastball down and in to right handers in order to get ahead in the count, and then he needs to locate his slider/curve low and away in order to put them away. He has talent, but his time as a member of the Rockies could be limited if he continues to get lit up when he takes the mound.

     The Rockies have a tough task tonight as the Marlins are sending their future to the mound in Jose Fernandez. On the year Fernandez has a 9-5 record with a 2.41 ERA in 24 games started. He was able to get his ninth victory of the season in his last time out when he squared off against the streaking Dodgers. In the game he went six innings allowing just four hits, two runs (one earned), issued three walks and struck out eight in the game. He is unbeaten at home this year with a 6-0 record and a 1.40 ERA in 12 games started. He is very happy about the dimensions of Marlins park even though the hitters hate it. He beat the Rockies this year once already on July 23rd and looked good in the game shutting down the Rockies offense. In that game he went seven innings allowing five hits, two runs, had two walks and struck out eight in the game. Todd Helton was the one who took him deep in July. Fernandez has an electric fastball and a wipeout slider. He just turned 21 on July 31st and he has a bright future ahead of him.

     The Marlins lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Christian Yelich, LF
2. Donovan Solano, 2B
3. Giancarlo Stanton, RF
4. Logan Morrison, 1B
5. Ed Lucas, 3B
6. Adeiny Hechavarria, SS
7. Jake Marisnick, CF
8. Jeff Mathis, C
9. Jose Fernandez, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be trying to figure out the rookie phenom on the mound and work on giving Jeff Manship the run support that he needs. Manship will need to have a better game tonight or else the Rockies will have a slim chance of getting their second consecutive victory on the road.  

Rockies Secure Victory In First Game Against Miami

     The Rockies had a great start from Jhoulys Chacin which propelled the Rockies to a nail biting 3-2 victory against the Marlins. Rex Brothers came in and shut the door on Miami in the ninth inning as he got the Marlins in order and got his 12th save of the season. Michael Cuddyer provided most of the offense for the Rockies tonight, despite just getting one hit. He had an RBI ground out in the sixth inning which tied the game at one as the Marlins had taken the lead in the 5th inning from an Ed Lucas home run to left center field. In the seventh inning, the Marlins regained the lead when pinch hitter Greg Dobbs had a sacrifice fly. The Rockies answered in the top of the 8th inning when Michael Cuddyer had an RBI single which scored Troy Tulowitzki who had doubled in the previous at bat. The big hit of the night came from an unlikely source as Ryan Wheeler drilled a double to deep center field and gave the Rockies the lead 3-2. That is where the score would end up and the Rockies got off to a good start in the series.

     Jhoulys Chacin pitched well again tonight as he went seven innings allowing just four hits, two runs, had four walks and struck out five in the game. The only issue he had was his command at times which is evidenced by his four walks in the game. He cruised through three innings and did not allow his first hit until the fourth. It was just the kind of start that the Rockies needed and it gave the majority of the bullpen a much needed breather for the night. Adam Ottavino came in and worked a perfect eighth inning striking out two batters. Rex Brothers looked dominant in the ninth inning for his 12th save of the season. He struck out two in the inning and did not let anybody even sniff first base.

     Offensively, the Rockies had three runs on nine hits which was just enough to get the job done tonight. DJ LeMahieu and Troy Tulowitzki each had two hits in the game and each had a run scored. Michael Cuddyer went 1 for on the night with two RBI. Ryan Wheeler, who has struggled mightily this year for the Rockies, came up with a huge two out double which scored Cuddyer from second and gave the Rockies the lead for good. Wilin Rosario was unable to get a hit tonight, but he has been one of the hottest hitters for the Rockies, so hopefully this was just a hiccup and he will get back to dominating pitchers tomorrow night against the Marlins.

     The Rockies will be back in action tomorrow night and will be facing one of the best young arms in the game in Jose Fernandez. Jeff Manship (0-3, 7.80 ERA) of the Rockies will be taking on Jose Fernandez (9-5, 2.41 ERA) for the Marlins. Manship is looking to pick up his first victory as a member of the Rockies and break out of the slump he has been in during his first three starts of the year. Jose Fernandez just turned 21 on July 31st and has one of the best arms in the game of baseball right now. He only has nine wins on the season but that is because of a lack of run support from his team. It will be a tough matchup for the Rockies as they try and win their second straight road game which they have not done since June 22nd-23rd in Washington. First pitch for the game tomorrow night is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time.

Rockies Begin Series with Marlins

     The Rockies lost the game last night against the Phillies, and they also may have lost their closing pitcher in Rafael Betancourt. Betancourt exited the game last night with an elbow injury that could end up costing him his career. He is scheduled for an MRI on Monday which will determine the severity of the injury. Betancourt has blown two straight saves and was placed on revocable waivers earlier in the day yesterday. This most recent injury all but certainly cemented the fact that he will not be picked up by another team prior to the deadline at the end of this month. The offense hit the ball well in Philadelphia but were unable to score many runs in the series, which is something they will be looking to make up for against the inferior Marlins team.

     Jhoulys Chacin will be getting the ball for the Rockies in the first game of the series with the Marlins. Chacin has quietly had a great year as right now he is 11-7 with a very good 3.24 ERA. He took a loss in his last start against the Orioles as he went 5 1/3rd innings allowing nine hits, three runs, one walk, and struck out five in the game. Chacin has had a stellar second half of the year so far which he looks to improve upon tonight. In six games since the All Star break he has a 2.55 ERA but with the Rockies offensive struggles he has failed to garner much run support and is 2-3 in those six starts. On the road this year he has a 4-4 record with a stellar 2.14 ERA in 10 games started. Current Marlins are hitting for a .325 average against Chacin with one home run and six RBI in 40 combined at bats. The Marlins are currently in a rebuilding process but they have some good talent on the team in Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, and Jake Marisnick. They may be young but they will still take advantage of mistakes when they are given to them. Chacin will need to be careful and work the outer part of the zones effectively. Giancarlo Stanton is starting to heat up right now so he will need to be extra careful when they are facing him.

     The Marlins will be sending Tom Koehler to the mound tonight to face off against the Rockies. Koehler has not had a great year as he is 3-8 with a 4.66 ERA in 22 games pitched (16 starts). In his last start against the Giants he lasted five innings allowing seven hits, three runs, had four walks and struck out four in the game on his way to a no decision. Easily his best start of the year came against the Rockies on July 22nd. In that start he went seven innings allowing eight hits, one run, no walks, and struck out seven batters on his way to his second victory of the season. He has struggled at Marlins Park this year as he is just 1-4 with a 5.06 ERA in nine games (seven starts). Current Rockies players are hitting .308 against Koehler with one home run and one RBI in 26 combined at bats. Troy Tulowitzki has the home run and RBI against him and is 2 for 3 in their meetings. Koehler is yet to retire DJ LeMahieu who is 3 for 3 against him with three singles.

     The Marlins lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Christian Yelich, LF
2. Donovan Solano, 2B
3. Giancarlo Stanton, RF
4. Logan Morrison, 1B
5. Ed Lucas, 3B
6. Adeiny Hechavarria, SS
7. Jake Marisnick, CF
8. Jeff Mathis, C
9. Tom Koehler, 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. Wilin Rosario, C
6. Ryan Wheeler, 1B
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. Charlie Blackmon, LF
9. Jhoulys Chacin, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time. The Rockies need a good start from Chacin where he goes deep into the game in order to preserve the overworked bullpen. Hopefully the Rockies will be able to avoid any more serious injuries for the remainder of the season. The Rockies are hoping that a trip to Marlins Park is just what they need in order to cure their road struggles.

Deja Vu for the Rockies

     Rafael Betancourt was placed on the waiver wire earlier in the day and tonight he blew his second straight save chance in as many days as the Phillies beat the Rockies 5-4. Perhaps the worst part of the deal was that he was injured on the play that tied up the game. It was a slow roller to third base and Betancourt broke for the ball. He was not able to come up with it and Nolan Arenado also failed to make the play. Betancourt seemed frustrated and when the trainer came out he wasted no time in getting off of the field. He left before throwing a pitch to see if he was ok, this either means that he hurt his groin again and he did not want to further hurt the injury, or he was simply too angry and frustrated and did not want to go further in the game. Either way it ended up in another loss for Betancourt. Jeff Francis came in to relieve Betancourt and gave up a walk which pushed Michael Young to second base and he scored on a base hit from Dominic Brown. The Rockies will be happy to get out of Philadelphia and head into Miami tonight to get ready to take on the Marlins over the weekend.

     Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt owe Chad Bettis a huge apology after they blew his shot at his first Major League victory. Bettis easily had his best start of the season as he went 5 1/3rd innings allowing six hits, one run, one walk and struck out five on the night. Matt Belisle came in to relieve Josh Outman who had walked a batter and he gave up a two run home run to Darin Ruf which cut the Rockies lead down to one at 4-3. Rafael Betancourt came in to try and close out the game and it looked very promising after he retired the first two batters of the inning. Jimmy Rollins then doubled down the right field line. In what was probably the dumbest move of the Rockies season, they let Jimmy Rollins steal third base without attempting to throw down and get him. This would eventually come back to haunt them as Michael Young came up and hit a 60 foot dribbler to the left side which Nolan Arenado could not field in time to get him at first base. Chase Utley then drew a walk off of Jeff Francis and then Dominic Brown hit the walk off single. The Rockies road struggles continue, and their bullpen continues to be a major concern moving forward in the season.

     The middle of the lineup for the Rockies did the most damage tonight as Troy Tulowitzki, Michael Cuddyer and Wilin Rosario each had two hits on the night. Wilin Rosario extended his hitting streak to 13 games and Troy Tulowitzki now has a nine game hitting streak. The big blow in the game was when Rosario drilled a three run home run deep to left field off of Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick. It was Rosario's 20th home run of the year and also tied him for the club lead in RBI with 70. The Rockies offense has swung the bat well over the past couple of games and they will be trying to keep it going as they head down to Miami to take on the Marlins.

     The Rockies are heading to South  Beach and will be taking on the Marlins over the weekend. Jhoulys Chacin (11-7, 3.24 ERA) will be taking on Tom Koehler (3-8, 4.66 ERA) of the Marlins. First pitch for the game tomorrow night is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time.

   

Rockies take on Phillies in Series Finale

     The Rockies dropped the game last night by a final score of 4-3. It was an unfortunate loss for the Rockies as they had the victory in their hands with three outs to go, but failed to close out the game as Rafael Betancourt blew his second save of the year. Betancourt looked uncomfortable on the mound last night and was the polar opposite of what we saw on Tuesday night when he was able to close out the game. He was leaving balls up in the zone and it cost him the game. He will most likely be unavailable tonight as he has worked two games in a row and was recently off of the disabled list, which means that should the Rockies need a closer they will turn to Rex Brothers for the game tonight. The loss last night for the Rockies failed to get them their second consecutive victory on the road, which they have not done since June 22nd-23rd in Washington.

     The Rockies will be sending rookie Chad Bettis to the mound tonight to face off against the Phillies. Bettis has struggled to start his career, but he will be trying to pick up his first victory of his young career tonight against Philadelphia. On the year he has an 0-2 record with a 5.30 ERA in four games started. He did not have a great start his last time out against Baltimore and it was compounded by some defensive errors made behind him. In the game he lasted just 2 2/3rd innings allowing seven hits, eight runs (two earned), issued four walks and struck out two. It was the worst start of his young career and he will be trying to shake it off and give the Rockies a chance to get the victory tonight and earn a split with the Phillies in the series. He has not looked good on the road in three starts as he is 0-2 with a 6.39 ERA. This will be his first time facing anyone on the Phillies roster tonight, so look for him to work quickly and efficiently. In the Minor Leagues, Bettis was able to demonstrate excellent control but that has not been the case so far in his starts in the Majors. He has quality stuff but if he can't control it then he will be in for a long ride.

     The Phillies will counter Bettis with Kyle Kendrick. On the year Kendrick is 10-10 with a 4.36 ERA. He pitched well against the Dodgers in his last start, but unfortunately for him he was running up against the hottest team in baseball and the offense behind him was unable to provide him with any support. In that start he went six innings allowing seven hits, two runs (one earned), and had one strikeout. He has lost his last two starts and four of his last five. He has struggled in the second half of the year and the Rockies are hoping that his struggles continue tonight. At home this year Kendrick is 6-5 with a 4.20 ERA in 13 starts. Current Rockies hitters are hitting for a .284 average against Kendrick with two home runs and four RBI in 67 combined at bats. Kendrick was having a decent year up until the end of June, then much like the Phillies, the wheels fell of for him and he has not been able to regain his form.

     The Phillies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Michael Young, 1B
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Dominic Brown, LF
5. Carlos Ruiz, C
6. Darin Ruf, RF
7. Cody Asche, 3B
8. Roger Bernandina, CF
9. Kyle Kendrick, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies are looking to build some momentum before heading down to Miami to take on an inferior Marlins team. They will be trying to get some revenge against the Marlins who took three out of four from the Rockies at Coors Field at the end of July.

Blown Save Costs Rockies a Victory

     Rafael Betancourt blew a one run lead in the ninth inning and the Phillies defeated the Rockies by a final score of 4-3. The Rockies fought hard to get the lead in the eighth inning but it all unraveled when Betancourt came in to close it out in the ninth. Juan Nicasio battled through 5 2/3rd innings on the night and was able to leave with the game tied at two. The score remained tied until the eighth inning when Nolan Arenado came through with a two out RBI single which gave the Rockies the 3-2 lead. Betancourt came in for the ninth inning and gave up a leadoff double to Erik Kratz. Casper Wells was moved over to third when John Mayberry grounded out to Jonathan Herrera at second base. Carlos Ruiz was the pinch hitter Ryne Sandberg went to next and he promptly hit an RBI double to tie up the game. Jimmy Rollins was then intentionally walked to set up a force at all of the bases which brought Michael Young to the plate. Young came through as he drilled the offering from Betancourt into left field for the walk off victory.

     Juan Nicasio was not bad tonight, but he also wasn't good. In the game he lasted 5 2/3rd innings allowing seven hits, two runs (one earned), one walk and struck out three. Things could have been worse if it were not for a double play that he induced while the bases were loaded with nobody out in the fifth inning. He got out of the fifth after allowing just the one run which was phenomenal considering the situation he was in. With the exception of Rafael Betancourt, the bullpen actually had a good night after they came in to relieve Nicasio. Unfortunately Rafael Betancourt could not hold the lead for the Rockies and the struggles continue for the Rockies on the road.

     Offensively the Rockies had another good day at the plate, but were unable to cash in on the majority of their chances with runners in scoring position. Wilin Rosario got the Rockies on the board when he drilled a solo home run to right field off of Cliff Lee in the second inning. The Rockies continued to rally in the second as they strung together a few hits. Dexter Fowler had an RBI single with two outs in the second which scored Nolan Arenado but the inning was abruptly ended when Jordan Pacheco was thrown out trying to score behind Arenado. Dexter Fowler, Michael Cuddyer and Nolan Arenado each had two hits in the game and the Rockies all together had 11 of them but in the end it was not enough to get the job done and secure a victory.

     The Rockies will be taking on the Phillies in the series finale tomorrow night with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will send Chad Bettis (0-2, 5.30 ERA) to the mound who is still looking for his first Major League victory, and he will be taking on Kyle Kendrick (10-10, 4.36 ERA) for the Phillies.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/21

     The Rockies were able to get the bats going last night and get Todd Helton a victory for his 40th birthday by defeating the Phillies 5-3. The Rockies had 10 hits and five runs which is a good sign especially for a team that had lost 12 of 14 games on the road coming into the game last night. They will be looking to carry that momentum into the game tonight and ensure that they at least get a split with the Phillies on the road.

     The Rockies will be sending Juan Nicasio to the mound tonight to face off against the Phillies. Nicasio has had an up and down year for the Rockies as he has looked unhittable at times and then other times he doesn't look like he can get anybody out. He looked better in his last start and got the victory despite battling control issues throughout the game. In the game against the Orioles, he went six innings allowing just four hits, two runs, issued four walks and struck out two. The amount of walks he issued was a little concerning, but he was able to limit the damage he allowed. On the year he is 7-6 with a 4.94 ERA. He has struggled on the road this year as he is 4-5 on the year with a 5.76 ERA. He has made one start against the Phillies this year and it did not go well for him but he took a no decision in the game. In that game he lasted 5 2/3rd innings allowing seven hits, five runs, two walks and struck out four. In a limited number of at bats, current Phillies are hitting .278 against him with three RBI in 18 combined at bats. Nicasio will need to keep the ball down in the zone tonight and not allow the power hitters to elevate on his fastball.

     The Phillies will be sending their ace to the mound tonight in Cliff Lee to face off against the Rockies. Lee has had a good year despite everything going on around him. He is 10-6 with a 3.19 ERA in 23 games started. He has not received the run support from the Phillies that he normally has in the past and that is evident with his lower ERA and win total. He pitched well in his last start against the Dodgers but took the loss as they were shutout in the game. He went eight innings allowing five hits, three runs, one walk, and struck out six. Lee has lost his last four decisions and has not picked up a victory since July 5th. He has struggled more at home this year as he has a 4-4 record with a 4.00 ERA. Current Rockies hitters are hitting .333 against Lee with four home runs and 14 RBI in 90 combined at bats. Michael Cuddyer has had the most success against him as he is 11 for 36 with four doubles, three home runs and eight RBI against him.

     The Phillies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Michael Young, 1B
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Dominic Brown, LF
5. Darin Ruf, RF
6. Cody Asche, 3B
7. Erik Kratz, C
8. John Mayberry, CF
9. Cliff Lee, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. Charlie Culberson, LF
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Michael Cuddyer, RF
5. Wilin Rosario, 1B
6. Nolan Arenado, 3B
7. Jordan Pacheco, C
8. Jonathan Herrera, 2B
9. Juan Nicasio, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be going for their second consecutive road win, which has not happened since before the All Star break when they defeated the Nationals two straight in the middle of June.

Rockies Get Helton a Win For His 40th Birthday

     The Rockies evened things up in their series with the Phillies tonight as they defeated them 5-3 behind a couple of long balls from Troy Tulowitzki and Wilin Rosario. Jorge De La Rosa had another quality start tonight and was able to pick up his 13th victory on the year. Todd Helton was celebrating his 40th birthday today and even though he was unable to collect a hit at the plate, he will gladly trade that in for a victory for the team. He is one of the classiest players in the game of baseball and the Rockies organization is proud to have had him as the face of the franchise for as many years as he has.

     Jorge De La Rosa threw six 1/3rd innings allowing just three hits, three runs (two earned), issued three walks and struck out three in the game. The Phillies got all three of their runs in the third inning which was aided by a rare error from Todd Helton which could have been an inning ending double play which would have got the Rockies out of the inning without any runs scoring. The bullpen came in and did a marvelous job as they threw 2 2/3rd innings with only one hitter reaching base which was from a Rex Brothers walk. Rafael Betancourt came in and closed out the game for his 16th save of the year. He looked very good on the mound as he needed only eight pitches to get the Phillies out in order in the ninth.

     The Rockies offense jumped out to an early lead in the game as Tyler Cloyd gave up a two run home run to Troy Tulowitzki and then allowed Michael Cuddyer to score on a wild pitch. The Rockies added another run in the second inning when Dexter Fowler had an RBI single and then another run in the third inning when Wilin Rosario took Cloyd deep to center field for a solo shot.That was all that the Rockies needed in the game as the pitching staff stepped up to shut the Phillies down.

     The Rockies will be back in action tomorrow night against the Phillies for game three of their four game series with first pitch scheduled for 5:05 PM Mountain time. Juan Nicasio (7-6, 4.94 ERA) will be taking on Cliff Lee (10-6, 3.19 ERA) for the Phillies.

Rockies vs Phillies Game 2

     The Rockies dropped the opening game of the series to the Phillies last night by a final score of 5-4. The Rockies dug themselves into an early 5-0 deficit but made things interesting in the final couple of innings but fell just short as Jonathan Papelbon was able to close out the game in the ninth inning. The Rockies have now lost three straight games and will be looking to turn things around tonight as they face the injury riddled Phillies team.

     The Rockies will hand the ball off tonight to veteran Jorge De La Rosa who will be looking to stop the bleeding for the Rockies. De La Rosa has had a very good year to this point as he has compiled a 12-6 record with a very good 3.22 ERA in 25 games started this year. He looked very good in his last start against the Padres as he went seven innings while scattering eight hits, two runs, issued one walk and struck out six in the game on route to his 12th victory of the season. He has now won two straight starts and four of his last five decisions. De La Rosa has struggled more on the road this year than he has at home as he has a 4-5 record with a 3.84 ERA in 13 road starts on the year. Current Phillies are hitting .302 against De La Rosa in their career matchups with two home runs and 13 RBI in 53 combined at bats. De La Rosa has had a good year on the mound and perhaps even more impressive is that he has remained healthy for the majority of the year. He has always battled issues in the past which have cost him time in the past, but he has been reliable this year to take the mound every fifth day for the Rockies.

     The Phillies recalled right handed pitcher Tyler Cloyd from AAA in order to make the start today against the Rockies in place of injured pitcher John Lannan. Earlier in the year Cloyd posted decent numbers for the Phillies in a few starts. He has a 2-2 record with a 3.41 ERA in six games started this year. Cloyd does not have dominant stuff on the mound, but his location and command will more than make up for it. His best pitch is his cut fastball which works in the mid 80's. He has not made a start at the Major League level since early June, but he is ready to assert himself tonight against the Rockies. He has only made one start at home this year and it was a good one, but he took the loss in the game against the Brewers. He went seven innings allowing eight hits, three runs (two earned), one walk and struck out three. He is not a guy who gets many strikeouts, but he will work to contact and induce a lot of ground balls using his cutter.

     The Phillies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Carlos Ruiz, C
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Dominic Brown, LF
5. Michael Young, 1B
6. Darin Ruf, RF
7. Cody Asche, 3B
8. John Mayberry, CF
9. Tyler Cloyd, 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. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. Charlie Blackmon, LF
9. Jorge De La Rosa, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to end their three game losing streak against recently called up Tyler Cloyd. The Rockies offense looks to heat up tonight and build some much needed momentum moving forward.

Rockies Drop Opener in Philadelphia

     The Rockies made a valiant comeback attempt tonight against the Phillies but in the end they came up just short and dropped the opening game of the four game series by a final score of 5-4. Jeff Manship struggled again on the mound and dug the Rockies into a 5-0 hole that they could not get out of. The Rockies made Ethan Martin look like an all star for the first six innings of the game but they were able to break through and touch him up in the seventh. The Rockies got a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth innings, and they cut the lead to 5-4 heading into the ninth inning. The ninth started off promising for the Rockies as DJ LeMahieu hit a single back up the middle off of Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon. Unfortunately, LeMahieu was caught leaning and was picked off of first base. The Rockies were not able to get anything else going against Papelbon as he retired the next two hitters and recorded his 21st save of the season. After winning the first game of their road trip, the Rockies have now lost three in a row. They will look to turn it around tomorrow when they send Jorge De La Rosa to the mound.

     Jeff Manship is now 0-3 on the year and his ERA now sits at a lofty 7.80. In the game today he went five innings allowing six hits, five runs, one walk and struck out four. He looked good through the first three innings of the game as he was keeping the ball down in the zone and keeping it away from the power of their lineup. He was then touched up for four runs in the fourth inning capped off by a John Mayberry Jr three run home run. Carlos Ruiz tagged him in the next inning for another home run which pushed the lead to 5-0 for the Phillies. Manship continues to struggle with leaving balls up in the zone which leaves him vulnerable to giving up home runs. He has now given up four home runs in three starts which spans 15 innings of work. This is something that he will need to improve upon if he wants to stay at the Major League Level.

     Troy Tulowitzki continues to swing a hot bat as he added another two hits in the game today including a long solo home run in the seventh inning to break up the shutout being thrown by Ethan Martin. The Rockies had only two hits going into the seventh inning but they came on in the last three innings and they finished the game with seven hits total.

     The Rockies will be back in action tomorrow against the Phillies and will be looking to end their three game slide. They will be sending Jorge De La Rosa (12-6, 3.22 ERA) to the mound to face off with a mystery pitcher for the Phillies. First Pitch for the game tomorrow is at 5:05 PM Mountain time.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/19

     The Rockies had a good start to the road trip over the weekend as they took the first game of the series against the Orioles, but they faltered in the last two and lost them both. They are headed into Philadelphia to take take on the Phillies. For the first time in nine years the Rockies will look over and not see Charlie Manuel in the Phillies dugout. Manuel was "replaced" by the Phillies after they lost 19 of 23 games. Ryne Sandberg is getting his first shot at managing at the Major League level as he was named the replacement for the Phillies. The Rockies will look to make it a rough transition for Sandberg and make sure that he does not get the team rolling while they are in town.

     The Rockies will be sending Jeff Manship to the mound tonight to face off against the Phillies. Manship has not made a very good impression with the Rockies this year in his two starts so far. He is 0-2 on the year with a very poor 7.20 ERA. He is still looking for his first win as a member of the Rockies and his first win in the National League. He came over from Minnesota as a free agent after last season but has failed to impress so far. The 28 year old pitched for Notre Dame and was a 14th round selection of the Twins in the 2006 draft. This year he made one start on the road which was against the Mets on August 8th. He did not pitch bad in the game but still took the loss. He went five innings allowing four hits, two runs, walked three and struck out four. There is a brief history between Manship and current Phillies hitters as they are hitting for a .462 average with one home run and eight RBI in 14 combined at bats. This year at the Major League level he has struggled with the location of his pitches. He has issued five walks in his 10 innings pitched on the year which is a high number, but he is also leaving pitches up in the zone that opposing players are doing damage with. He does not have the type of stuff to get away with pitches up in the zone. He needs to keep the ball down and make sure hitters can't extend their arms on the swing.

     The Phillies will be sending Ethan Martin to the hill tonight to take on the Rockies offense. On the year Martin is 1-2 with a 6.28 ERA in three games started. Martin was called up on the first of August to fill in for the depleted starting staff. He has good stuff as his fastball sits in the mid 90's and has a plus curveball that he uses as his secondary pitch. His slider is average right now but has the potential to be a better pitch for him. He has struggled at times early on in his career with control but if he manages to control his stuff then he could be a very dangerous opponent. This will be the first time that the Rockies have ever faced Martin, so they will look to see his arsenal early in the game and then jump all over his mistakes.

     The Phillies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Jimmy Rollins, SS
2. Carlos Ruiz, C
3. Chase Utley, 2B
4. Dominic Brown, LF
5. Darin Ruf, 1B
6. Cody Asche, 3B
7. John Mayberry, CF
8. Casper Wells, RF
9. Ethan Martin, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will look to end their mini-two game skid and get to .500 on the road trip. On paper this does not seem to be much of a pitcher's duel, so look for the offenses to duel it out tonight.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/12

     The Rockies are flying high after their three game sweep of the Pirates over the weekend and now the San Diego Padres are coming to town to face off with them at Coors Field. The Rockies have a good chance to make it two consecutive series wins but they will need to keep their focus and continue to take it one game at a time. In their series with the Pirates the Rockies were able to hold the Pirates to a combined seven runs and they also got victories against both starters that had recorded victories against them a week ago. It was one of the best three game series the Rockies have had all year and they will be looking to ride that momentum into the series with the Padres.

     Tonight the Rockies will hand the ball to Jhoulys Chacin as he looks to get the Rockies their fourth straight victory. Chacin has had a good year as he has posted a 10-6 record with a 3.30 ERA in 22 games started. He pitched well in his last time out against the Mets, but he took the loss in the game as Matt Harvey threw a complete game shutout against him. In the game he went seven innings allowing seven hits, two runs, issued one walk and struck out five batters in the game. The performance normally would be good enough to win a game but the Rockies offense faltered and he was given his sixth loss of the season. He will be looking to rebound and add to his win total on the year against a weaker San Diego lineup. Chacin has struggled a bit more at home this year despite his 6-3 record. He has a 4.27 ERA in 13 games started and opponents are hitting for a .263 average against him. He has faced off against the Padres four times this year and has a 2-1 record with a 3.52 ERA. In his career, he has done well against the division opponent. He has held current Padres to a .209 average with only one home run and 13 RBI in 134 combined at bats. Chacin will be looking to go deep into the game and keep the Padres off balance by mixing in his fastball and off speed pitches throughout the game.

     The Padres will be sending Edinson Volquez to the mound tonight to face off against the Rockies. Volquez has had an up and down year and is 8-9 with a 5.44 ERA on the season. He has not been the same pitcher since leaving Cincinnati a few years ago. He also took a loss in his last time out despite throwing the ball fairly well against the Orioles. He threw six innings allowing six hits, two runs, two walks and struck out six batters. He has a 5-2 record on the road this year with a 5.63 ERA in 12 starts. He is not thrilled about facing the Rockies again as he is 0-3 against them this year with a  12.18 ERA in four starts. He has been lit up each time he has faced the Rockies and will be trying to change that this time out. Current Rockies players are hitting for a .372 average against Volquez, with four home runs and 29 RBI in 129 combined at bats. Wilin Rosario has his number in their career matchups as Rosario is 7 for 15 with two home runs and seven RBI.

     First pitch for the game tonight between the Rockies and the Padres is scheduled for 6:40 PM Mountain time. Rockies are looking to make it four straight victories in front of their home fans.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/11/2013

     The Rockies will be looking for something today that they have not had a chance to do since well before the All Star break. Today they will be going for the sweep against one of the best teams in the National League this year in the Pirates. They defeated the Pirates 6-4 last night thanks to a five run offensive outburst in the sixth inning. Wilton Lopez recorded the victory despite only getting the last out in the sixth inning in relief of Juan Nicasio. AJ Burnett took the loss in the game, and the Rockies were able to get some revenge for the complete game victory that he had against them five days prior. The Rockies had a team meeting on Friday before the start of the game and it has apparently given them the spark they needed as they have looked much better in their two games at home, than they looked in their previous 10 games on the road.

     The Rockies will be sending Chad Bettis to the mound today to see if he can quiet the Pirates offense for a third straight game and complete the sweep for the Rockies. Bettis struggled in his first start with the team, but he settled down in his last start against the Mets. In that start he went five innings and allowed four hits two runs, had one walk and struck out two batters. He took the no decision in the game as the Mets took a lead late and beat the Rockies 3-2. Both of his starts this year have been on the road, so this will be his first taste of pitching at Coors Field. He has never faced anyone on the Pirates team in his career, so he will also have the element of surprise working in his favor. He will need to keep the ball down in the zone, because if he leaves it up, the Pirates hitters will make him pay. If he can do that then he will have a good chance to pick up his first victory as a member of the Rockies.

     Today the Rockies will be facing a tough left hander in Jeff Locke. Locke was an All Star this year and is having a great year. He came out of nowhere this year as he had a sip of coffee in the Major Leagues in the previous two seasons with the Pirates but he struggled in his time up. This year he is 9-3 with a very good 2.47 ERA. His 2.47 ERA puts him fourth in the National League for ERA. He was hit around pretty hard in his last start against the Marlins when he went 5 2/3rd innings pitched allowing nine hits, three runs, issued three walks and had four strikeouts, however he was able to walk away with a no decision in the game. He has been great away from home this year as he has put up a 5-2 record with a stellar 1.83 ERA in 11 games started. Away from PNC Park, he is holding opponents to a minuscule .185 average. He has never faced any of the current Rockies at the Major League level, so they will have to rely on the advice from the advance scouts in order to prepare for the game today. The Rockies already beat up Francisco Liriano in the series, and they will be looking to do the same to fellow left hander Jeff Locke today.

     The Pirates lineup for the game today is as follows:
1. Alex Presley, LF
2. Jose Tabata, RF
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
5. Neil Walker, 2B
6. Garrett Jones, 1B
7. Tony Sanchez, C
8. Clnt Barmes, SS
9. Jeff Locke, P

     The Rockies lineup for the game today is as follows:
1. Dexter Fowler, CF
2. DJ LeMahieu, 2B
3. Troy Tulowitzki, SS
4. Wilin Rosario, 1B
5. Nolan Arenado, 3B
6. Charlie Culberson, LF
7. Yorvit Torrealba, C
8. Charlie Blackmon, RF
9. Chad Bettis, P

     First pitch for the game today is scheduled for 2:10 PM Mountain time. The Rockies are going for the sweep against the Pirates and they will be looking for a strong performance on the mound from Chad Bettis. Wilin Rosario will be making his second career start at first base in the game today.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/9

     The Rockies have never been happier to get back to Coors Field. They are coming off one of the worst road trips in team history as they finished the trip 1-9 and were swept by the Braves and the Mets. They failed to hit on any cylinders as they struggled offensively and on the mound. They lost two key players to the disabled list in Carlos Gonzalez and Tyler Chatwood, and they looked like they had no fight left in them and the season is over. Hopefully they can turn things around as they come back home, but they need a major spark in order to do so. It is a long season and this stretch that the Rockies are going through is tough for anyone to watch. They will be looking to end their five game losing streak tonight as they take on the Pirates.

     Jorge De La Rosa will be taking the mound tonight for the Rockies to face off against the Pirates. On the year De La Rosa has put up decent numbers as he is 10-6 with a 3.31 ERA. He has been roughed up in his last two starts though and is looking to regain his form that he had earlier in the year. He faced off against the Pirates last week and did not make it into the fifth inning. He went four innings allowing six hits, three runs, two walks and had three strikeouts as he took the loss in the game. He will be looking to fair better against the Pirates this time around and get his 11th victory of the season. This year at home, De La Rosa has posted a great 6-1 record with a stellar 2.65 ERA in 10 games started. Current Pirates hitters have a .310 average against De La Rosa with two home runs and nine RBI in 71 combined at bats. Jose Tabata has both career home runs off of him as he is 4 for 10 against him with those two home runs and three RBI. Andrew McCutchen has also had good luck against him as he is 4 for 12 with two doubles and a triple. De La Rosa will need to work the ball down in the zone to be successful against the talented Pirates lineup. Some of the Pirates hitters are free swingers so he can work the ball on the outside of the zone and become successful and get a few more strikeouts.

     The Rockies will be facing off tonight against the tough left hander for the Pirates in Francisco Liriano. Liriano is having a bounce back year with the Pirates this year and has been one of the best pitchers in the entire National League. This year he has posted a 12-4 record and tiny 2.04 ERA. He is currently second in the Major Leagues in ERA but has not pitched enough innings to qualify for the title. He missed all of April with a broken right arm but has been great since his return to the team. He faced the Rockies in his last start and was great as he went seven innings and allowed only two hits, no runs, five walks and had six strikeouts. The five walks were high for him but he was able to limit the damage with runners on base. He is second in the National League in wins right now with 12 and is one behind the leaders. On the road this year, Liriano is 5-3 with a 2.65 ERA in eight starts away from PNC Park. Rockies hitters have struggled against Liriano in their career matchups as they are hitting just .143 with two RBI in 35 combined at bats. Liriano is a tough test for the Rockies tonight but they will be looking to get some revenge against the Pirates and look to get a good start to the home stand.

     The Pirates lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Starling Marte, LF
2. Jordy Mercer, SS
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Russell Martin, C
5. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
6. Gaby Sanchez, 1B
7. Neil Walker, 2B
8. Jose Tabata, RF
9. Francisco Liriano, 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. Wilin Rosario, C
6. Todd Helton, 1B
7. Nolan Arenado, 3B
8. Charlie Culberson, LF
9. Jorge De La Rosa, P

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 6:40 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to end their five game losing streak and get back on track.  

Rockies Game Recap: 8/7

               The Colorado Rockies atrocious road trip continued tonight as they ran into a buzz saw in Matt Harvey as he led the Mets to a 5-0 victory. Harvey had a complete game shutout for the Mets, which was his first complete game of his career, but I guarantee it will not be his last. He dominated the Rockies offense all night long and allowed only four hits on the night. It looked like a miss-match all night long and the majority of the Rockies hitters did not have a chance to get anything going against the young right hander.  It was such a dominating performance for Harvey that the first time a Rockies player reached second base was with two outs in the ninth inning when Charlie Blackmon took second base on a fielder’s indifference. He finished the game with six strikeouts and no walks, and did so with 106 pitches on the night. Jhoulys Chacin took the loss for the Rockies and is now 10-6 on the year.

                Jhoulys Chacin pitched well for the Rockies tonight but was unable to get any run support so he was saddled with the loss. He went seven innings while allowing seven hits, two runs, one walk and five strikeouts. Manny Corpas struggled in his inning of work as he allowed two hits, three runs and walked two batters. He took the game from one swing away from a tie, to a laugher all in one inning of work. The Rockies were only able to muster up four singles on night and could not string anything together that even resembled the faint idea of a rally. The Rockies continue to be baffled on offense during this road trip and are not showing any signs of breaking out of it.

 To make matters worse the Rockies also placed Carlos Gonzalez on the disabled list prior to the game tonight and recalled Jeff Francis from AAA. It is time for the Rockies to begin the process of beginning to get a look at players that will possibly have a future with the team. They need to figure out who has a future with the club and who is expendable. The players who are expendable should see the majority of playing time towards the end of the year in order to boost interest in the players in the off season trade market.

The Rockies need to have a short term memory as they will be back in action tomorrow morning with first pitch scheduled for 10:10 AM Mountain time. Tyler Chatwood (7-4, 3.15 ERA)will be taking on Dillon Gee (7-8, 3.97 ERA) for the Mets. Luckily this will be the last road game on this road trip, and hopefully the Rockies will be able to forget about what just happened to them over the last week and a half. 

Rockies Game Preview: 8/7

     The Rockies dropped the opening game to the Mets last night by a final score of 3-2. To add insult to injury, the winning run was scored by former Rockies player Eric Young Jr, who was traded for the Rockies starting pitcher in the game Chad Bettis. It was another game in which Wilton Lopez took the loss. He is now 1-4 on the year with a 4.53 ERA. This begs the question of how long the Rockies are going to continue to put Lopez in with the game on the line. He has proved time after time that he is not a reliable source coming out of the bullpen, and yet Walt Weiss continues to use him late in the game. The experiment has run its course and it is now time to move on to different options.

     Jhoulys Chacin will be taking the mound tonight for the Rockies. Chacin has had a great year on the mound and has compiled a record of 10-5 with a 3.40 ERA. He picked up his 10th victory of the season in his last time out against the Pirates. He was brilliant on the night as he went eight innings allowing six hits, one run, no walks and struck out three. He was the only Rockies pitcher who was able to get a victory during this current road trip that the Rockies are currently on. In his last ten starts he is 7-2 and has lowered his ERA from 4.52 to a very good 3.40. He has been a reliable option for the Rockies as they have been struggling as of late. He continually keeps the Rockies in the game and gives them a chance to win each game that he starts. He has been one of the best pitchers in the game of baseball on the road this year as he has a 4-2 record with a 1.78 ERA in eight games started on the road. He has held opponents to a .231 average in those starts. Current Mets have struggled against Chacin in their career matchups as they have hit for just a .212 average with only one RBI in 33 combined at bats. Ike Davis has had the most luck against Chacin as he is 3 for 6 against him. Chacin is catching the Mets at the right time as their superstar in David Wright is on the disabled list with a tight hamstring. without Wright the Mets do not have much power in their lineup, but they are a scrappy team, and they are hungry for victories. Chacin will need to take advantage of their youth and make sure that he can get them to swing at the pitch he wants them to. If he can do this then he has a chance to get the Rockies a much needed victory.

     The Mets will be sending their future to the mound tonight as Matt Harvey takes the ball for the Mets. Harvey has an electric arm and has some of the best stuff currently in the game of baseball. His ability on the mound earned him the right to start the All Star game for the National League. He has had a vey impressive year this year as he is 8-3 with a 2.21 ERA. He has been nearly unhittable this year and is showing no signs of getting tired. He did however take the loss in his last start as he lasted 5 2/3rd innings allowing five hits, three runs, no walks and struck out eight Marlins hitters. Harvey has not been getting the offensive support that he needs and that has been evidenced by his low win total. He has gone eight innings or more in four games this year and he has taken a no decision in three of those games. Perhaps his best start of the year was against the White Sox in early May when he went nine innings allowing just one hit and striking out 12 batters, but took a no decision in the game as the Mets eventually won 1-0 in extra innings. He has been good at home this year but once again has not received much run support in his favor. He is 3-2 with a 2.03 ERA in 12 games started at Citi Field. Harvey made one start against the Rockies last year and allowed just one run in six innings of work while striking out nine batters. Current Rockies are hitting just .158 with three singles and one RBI in 19 combined at bats. Harvey is making a strong case to be the National League Cy Young Award winner this year as he currently leads the NL in strikeouts and is second in ERA and WHIP. If he had a little more run support from his team, he could easily be around the 15 win mark right now.

     The Mets lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1.

     The Rockies lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1.

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time. This matchup looks to be another pitchers duel as Matt Harvey and Jhoulys Chacin do battle under the bright lights of New York.  

Rockies Game Recap: 8/6

     The Rockies could not get back to their winning ways as they were downed by the Mets tonight by a final score of 3-2. Wilton Lopez took the loss on the night and is now 1-4 on the year with a 4.53 ERA. Scott Atchison got the victory for the Mets and is now 2-0 on the year. It was a relatively well pitched game from both sides, but the Mets were able to come up with the crucial hit at the end of the game which was the difference maker and allowed them to get the victory.

     Both the Mets and the Rockies each had six hits a piece on the night and were unable to get much going on the offensive side of things. Charlie Blackmon had the big hit for the Rockies on the night as he hit a pinch hit home run which tied the game in the sixth inning of the game. The other run came across on Nolan Arenado's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning. No player on the Rockies had more than one hit in the game and the Rockies two top hitters, Troy Tulowitzki and Michael Cuddyer, both were held hit less on the night. The Mets were led offensively by Juan Lagares. He went 2 for 4 on the night and had all three RBI for the Mets on the night. Former Rockies fan favorite Eric Young Jr, scored the game winning run as he scored from second base on an infield single from Lagares.

     Once again Wilton Lopez cripples the Rockies as he is not able to keep the opponent off of the scoreboard. He pitched as good as he has all year tonight which is sad to say but he lasted two innings allowing two hits and the one run. Surprisingly, the Rockies and Walt Weiss are continuing to throw him out there to pitch for them in the late innings of the game in close situations. When are they going to learn from their mistakes and wise up.

     The Rockies will be back in action tomorrow night in New York as they are taking on the Mets in game two of their series with first pitch coming at 5:10 PM Mountain time. Jhoulys Chacin (10-5, 3.40 ERA) will be taking on pitching sensation Matt Harvey (8-3, 2.21 ERA) of the Mets.  

Rockies Head to Pittsburgh

     Nobody is happier to be out of Atlanta than the Colorado Rockies. They were hit by a bus they call the Braves and took a beating as they were swept in their four game series. Things are not going to get any easier on the road trip as they are taking on the first place Pittsburgh Pirates. Not only are they in first place, but they are also the owners of the best record in all of Major League baseball. They were expected to be good this year, but nobody was expecting this from them. They have taken the league by storm with their mix of young talent and veteran leadership. The Rockies are perhaps taking them on at the wrong time, as they are coming off of a series in which they won four of five games against their biggest rival in the Cardinals, or maybe they are primed for a letdown and the Rockies may be able to poach a couple games in the series. Either way the Rockies need to show something before this season gets out of hand.

     Tonight, the Rockies will be sending Jhoulys Chacin to the mound to take on the Pirates lineup. Chacin will be looking for his 10th win on the season for the third consecutive start. On the year he is 9-5 with a 3.54 ERA. He was good in his last start against the Brewers, but he took a no decision as Matt Belisle gave up the lead for the Rockies. In the game he went seven innings allowing eight hits, three runs, one walk and he struck out four. He has been great on the road this year as he has a 3-2 record with a minuscule 1.90 ERA in seven game started. He is still looking for his first win after the All Star Break despite going seven innings and allowing three earned runs in each start he has had after the break. Current Pirates are hitting .316 against him with five home runs and nine RBI in 57 at bats. Garret Jones has done he most damage against him as he is 5 for 9 with two home runs and three RBI against Chacin. Chacin will be looking to continue to pound the strike zone in this start as he has had the most luck that way. He needs to work ahead in the count and make sure that he controls the tempo of the game.

     The Rockies will be facing one of the best young arms in the Pirates organization in Gerrit Cole. He was called up halfway through the season and now has a 6-4 record with a good 3.56 ERA in nine starts on the year. Cole has allowed three earned runs or less in all nine of his starts and has had a quality start in six of the games. He took the loss in his last start despite pitching well against the Marlins. He went seven innings allowing just four hits, three runs, two walks and struck out eight in the game. He has a live arm and can run his fastball up in the upper 90's and backs that up with a wipe out slider. He has shown better command in the Major Leagues than he had in the Minors, which has been a pleasant surprise for the Pirates organization. At home this year he has a 3-3 record with a 4.08 ERA in six games started. The Rockies will be seeing Cole for the first time, but he has been a top prospect so they have seen all of the tape on him and will have a pretty good idea of what he will be throwing to them.

     The Pirates lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Starling Marte, LF
2. Neil Walker, 2B
3. Andrew McCutchen, CF
4. Pedro Alvarez, 3B
5. Russell Martin, C
6. Garrett Jones, 1B
7. Alex Presley, RF
8. Clint Barmes, SS
9. Gerrit Cole, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is at 5:05 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to break out of the cold spell they have been in, while the Pirates will be trying to remain red hot.

Rockies Game Preview: 8/1

     The Rockies are happy to see the calendar turn into August and will be looking for anything they can to try and salvage a game in Atlanta against the Braves. They lost last night 9-0 and the game was not even that close. The Rockies were behind in the game 8-0 after three innings, so the Braves could have made the game a lot worse. The Rockies have stumbled as of late and are looking for anything to build off of, but those sparks have been few and far between for them this year. Tonight, the Rockies fans will get a look at a new pitcher in Chad Bettis who was called up from AA to make the start tonight.

     The Rockies will be handing the ball to Chad Bettis tonight for him to make his Major League debut tonight. Bettis will be making his debut against the Braves after a very good Minor League career. In his career at the minor league level he has posted a 21-10 record with a 2.91 ERA between four different teams. Bettis was originally drafted by the Houston Astros in the 2007 draft in the 8th round of the draft but he elected to head to college and pitched three years at Texas Tech University. He was the closer at Texas Tech and has a power arm coming out of the bullpen but the Rockies management decided to move him into the rotation and he has fit very well. When coming out of the bullpen he has touched 98 but as a starter he averages 93-94 MPH. He has a good slider that is his out pitch right now. When working out of the bullpen he mainly worked on those two pitches so he is still developing his changeup and curveball. Both the change and curve have flashes of being good pitches, but right now he is working on getting a feel for them so they are not as reliable at this time. He is 24 years old and is relatively polished considering his time spent at both College and the Minor Leagues. He is a solid pitcher in the organization and should show a glimpse of what the future holds for the Rockies pitching staff.

     The Braves will be looking for the sweep as they send Julio Teheran to the mound to face off against the Rockies. Teheran has quietly had a good season for the Braves this year and has a 7-5 record with a good 3.07 ERA. He had one of the best starts of his career in his last start against the Cardinals, but ended up taking a no decision as the Braves scored late to win the game. In that game he threw seven innings allowing just two hits, no runs, one walk and struck out six on the day. He has been a very consistent pitcher for the Braves and has allowed three earned runs or less in seven of his last eight starts, including three starts in which he has not allowed any runs. He has been good at Turner field this year as he has posted a 4-2 record with a 2.73 ERA in 10 games started. In limited matchups, Current Rockies hitters are hitting .316 against him in 19 combined at bats. Dexter Fowler is 2 for 3 against him in their previous match ups.

     The Braves lineup for the game tonight is as follows:
1. Jason Heyward, CF
2. Justin Upton, RF
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Evan Gattis, LF
5. Brian McCann, C
6. Chris Johnson, 3B
7. Dan Uggla, 2B
8. Andrelton Simmons, SS
9. Julio Teheran, P

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

     First pitch for the game tonight is scheduled for 5:10 PM Mountain time. The Rockies will be looking to salvage one game from the Braves in the four game series and will also be trying to not fall too far out of reach behind the Dodgers.