Pirates at Rockies
While the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Andrew McCutchen has taken the National
League by storm, the Colorado Rockies’ Dexter Fowler is starting to
prove he might be special, too. The Rockies host the Pirates in the
second of their three-game series Tuesday and the center fielders will
try to continue to be the center of attention. McCutchen is hitting .458
with 11 homers, 31 RBIs and scored 30 runs in his last 30 games and has
emerged as a serious NL MVP candidate. Fowler is 15-for-39 in July, and
his sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth inning Monday gave the
Rockies a 5-4 victory.
The Pirates, who are one game behind
Cincinnati in the NL Central, may need plenty of offense from McCutchen
and the rest of the team as it sends Erik Bedard to the mound. Bedard
has lost four straight decisions and is winless in his five starts. He
will oppose Colorado rookie Christian Friedrich, who hadn’t won in six
starts before defeating the Philadelphia Phillies 6-2 on Friday.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, Root Sports (Pittsburgh, Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Erik Bedard (4-10, 4.80 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Christian Friedrich (5-6, 5.60)
With
the rest of the Pirates’ rotation 27-14, Bedard is the weakest link. He
has allowed 14 runs (13 earned) and 20 hits in 14 1/3 innings over his
last three starts. The Rockies’ roster is batting .217 against him with
Michael Cuddyer 6-for-22 (five RBIs, 11 strikeouts) and Marco Scutaro
2-for-16. Bedard is 2-7 with a 6.60 ERA in nine road starts this season
and has lost his last five outings away from home.
After losing
five straight decisions, Friedrich allowed one run, five hits and struck
out seven in six innings against the Phillies. Since the Rockies began
using a four-man rotation on June 19, Friedrich is 1-3 with a 5.61 ERA
in five starts. He has allowed 16 runs, 31 hits, walked five and struck
out 31 in 25 2/3 innings during that span. Friedrich has never faced the
Pirates or any of their players.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies INF Chris Nelson went to a hospital Monday to undergo tests for an irregular heartbeat. He remained there overnight.
2. Pittsburgh 2B Neil Walker has a 16-game hitting streak.
3.
Pirates LF Alex Presley was activated from the seven-day concussion
list and went 1-for-4 on Monday. Presley suffered the injury while
trying to make a diving catch against Houston on July 3.