Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks found a way to end their offensive woes in their last out, but continued their recent inability to win at home or defeat the Colorado Rockies. The Diamondbacks look to end a five-game skid to the Rockies on Tuesday when the National League West rivals square off in the second of three games in Arizona.
The Diamondbacks, who have lost four in a row overall and fell to 1-5 on
their eight-game homestand following Monday’s 5-4 loss to Colorado,
ended a 20-inning scoreless streak in the fifth inning of the opener.
Offense hasn’t been nearly as much of a problem whenever Archie Bradley
has taken the mound as Arizona has scored 21 runs in his first
three starts despite facing the likes of Clayton Kershaw, Madison
Bumgarner and Yovani Gallardo. The rookie right-hander will get his
first look at Rockies slugger Justin Morneau, who matched his season
total in homers and RBIs through 17 games with a three-run blast in the
opening frame of Monday’s victory. Colorado won for the fourth time in
five games, but it wasn’t all good news as the team placed closer Adam
Ottavino on the 15-day disabled list with right triceps inflammation
earlier in the day.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 6.85 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Archie Bradley (2-0, 1.45)
Kendrick
ended a dreadful two-start run with an encouraging yet ultimately
mediocre outing in Wednesday’s 5-4 win over San Diego as he mostly
cruised through his first five innings before running out of steam over
his last two frames. The 30-year-old Houston native, who gave up four
runs in the no-decision, went 1-2 with a 5.36 ERA in nine games (eight
starts) against Arizona as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies from
2007-14. Kendrick has struggled in particular versus Aaron Hill, who is
8-for-12 with four doubles against him.
Facing his third Opening
Day starter in as many career outings, Bradley became the first pitcher
in team history to start his career with three games of at least six
innings pitched and two or fewer earned runs allowed when he yielded one
run over six frames in Wednesday’s victory versus Texas. Control was a
problem for the No. 7 overall pick of the 2011 draft, however, as he
threw only 49 of his 92 pitches for strikes and issued five walks.
Bradley has been dominant in his two home outings, winning both starts
while posting a 0.75 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Over his last 28
games versus the Diamondbacks – dating back to the start of the 2012
season – Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki is batting .438 with nine homers,
25 RBIs and 24 runs scored.
2. Arizona, which is 4-8 at Chase Field, has been outscored 31-15 during its homestand.
3.
Rockies manager Walt Weiss turned to RHP John Axford to close on
Monday, but stated following the game that he may use RHP Rafael
Betancourt in that role as well during Ottavino’s absence.