Astros at Rockies
With three straight victories, the Colorado Rockies are trying to turn their season around. They will need a healthy and productive Troy Tulowitzki, though, if they are to keep their positive momentum going. The Rockies will try for a four-game sweep of Houston when they host the Astros on Thursday, but will likely be without Tulowitzki, who strained his left groin in Wednesday’s 13-5 victory. Houston has lost a season-high five straight contests and has yielded 29 runs in the first three games of the series.
The Rockies will need Carlos Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler to keep carrying the offense. Gonzalez had the first three-homer game of his career Wednesday and Fowler went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer; he's 9-for-14 in the series.
Houston’s Bud Norris had allowed one earned run in four previous May starts before getting roughed up a bit by the Dodgers on Saturday. He will face Colorado’s Jeremy Guthrie, who is 0-2 with a 9.92 ERA at Coors Field and has yielded six runs in each of his three starts.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FS Houston, Root Sports (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Bud Norris (5-1, 3.34 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jeremy Guthrie (2-3, 5.31 ERA)
Norris allowed three runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings and received a no-decision in Houston’s 6-3 loss to Los Angeles after rattling off four straight victories in May. Norris, who has 62 strikeouts in 62 innings, surrendered two runs in seven innings (no-decision) in Houston’s 3-2 victory over Colorado on April 8. The Rockies’ roster is hitting .195 against him, with Wilin Rosario hitting a two-run homer in that April 8 contest.
Guthrie allowed six runs (two earned) and 10 hits in five innings in the Rockies’ 10-3 loss at Cincinnati on Friday. He defeated the Astros 5-3 on April 6 in the season opener for both teams when he yielded three runs in seven innings. The Astros’ roster is hitting .267 against him, with Carlos Lee 3-for-7 with two homers and Travis Buck 4-for-8.
WALK-OFFS
1. Gonzalez is 10-for-16 with five homers, seven RBIs and six runs scored in his last four games. He has 13 homers this season.
2. Houston is 6-18 on the road, with nine of the losses coming in its opponent’s last at-bat.
3. The Rockies designated 49-year-old left-hander Jamie Moyer for assignment Wednesday. Moyer was 2-5 with a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts for Colorado, which has 10 days to trade or release him.