Diamondbacks at Rockies
Paul Goldschmidt looks to continue his hot streak when his Arizona Diamondbacks begin a rain-shortened two-game series against the host Colorado Rockies on Tuesday. Goldschmidt, who went 9-for-14 as Arizona won two of three games against the Rockies at home last week, had six more hits over the weekend against the Los Angeles Dodgers to be named National League Player of the Week.
The Diamondbacks were swept in three games at Los Angeles and have to wait at least another day to end their slide after Monday’s game was rained out. Arizona’s Josh Collmenter and Tyler Matzek of the Rockies were scheduled to start Monday’s tilt and are expected to take the mound Tuesday. Colorado has dropped five straight games after being swept in three at San Diego over the weekend and is just 4-11 since a promising 7-2 start. Nick Hundley carries a nine-game hitting streak into the contest for the Rockies, going 13-for-32 in that span.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Josh Collmenter (2-3, 2.76 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Matzek (2-0, 2.70)
Collmenter allowed just one unearned run and five hits with six strikeouts over eight innings against Colorado for a 9-1 victory last Wednesday. The 29-year-old Michigan native has yielded three runs or fewer in each of his last four starts after surrendering five in a season-opening loss to San Francisco on April 6. Carlos Gonzalez is 5-for-15 with two homers versus Collmenter, who is 3-1 with a 3.59 ERA in 19 career games (nine starts) against the Rockies.
Matzek permitted two runs and five hits over five innings to earn the victory at Arizona on April 27 when he left the game early with a cramp in his left hamstring. The 24-year-old from California, who was the 11th overall pick in the 2009 draft, has allowed no more than two runs in any of his four starts this season after going 6-11 in 2014. Goldschmidt is 2-for-3 against Matzek, who is 2-1 with a 2.65 ERA in three career outings against the Diamondbacks.
WALK OFFS
1. Colorado OF Charlie Blackmon is 14-for-33 over the last seven games, raising his average to .316.
2. Arizona OF Mark Trumbo is batting .343 with nine homers and 29 RBIs in 18 career games against Colorado.
3. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado has belted three homers in the last three games and boasts six RBIs in the past six contests.