Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Colorado Rockies are escaping Coors Field for 10 games, and the
timing couldn't be much better. The Rockies went 1-5 on a six-game
homestand during which the team's starting pitchers posting a cumulative 9.72 ERA, and
the staff looks to improve beginning with Friday's opener of a
three-game series with the host Arizona Diamondbacks.
Colorado's pitching staff was so beleaguered that manager Walt Weiss admitted he wasn't all that upset about Thursday's game against Pittsburgh being postponed due to inclement weather. The Rockies - who have lost five straight games and six of seven - have allowed 36 runs over their last four contests. Arizona rectified its own pitching issues on Thursday as Rubby De La Rosa struck out a career-best 10 in seven innings of a 3-0 victory over St. Louis. The Diamondbacks allowed 19 runs while losing the first two games of the series and gave up 38 over their previous four contests.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (2-2, 3.47 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (1-0, 3.80)
Chatwood has put together two terrific starts and two porous ones so far this season. He yielded two hits over seven scoreless innings to defeat the Chicago Cubs on April 17 but lasted just four frames - allowing three runs and six hits - in a loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn. Chatwood defeated the Diamondbacks in his first start of the season, when he allowed two runs (one earned) and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, and is 3-0 with a 3.42 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against Arizona.
Ray allowed a total of four runs over his first three starts before being pounded for five and eight hits in three innings of a no-decision against Pittsburgh in his last turn. Control has been an issue as he walked nine over his first two starts before reducing the number to two in each of his last two outings. Ray is 1-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies and has enjoyed splendid success against Nolan Arenado (0-for-7).
WALK-OFFS
1. The teams opened the season against one another in Arizona, with the Rockies taking two of the three games.
2. Arizona LF Brandon Drury has homered in each of his last two games and is 12-for-29 over the last seven contests.
3. Colorado CF Charlie Blackmon (turf toe), who is 5-for-8 against Ray, could be activated from the disabled list prior to Friday's game.