Phillies at Rockies
Colorado Rockies All-Star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez denied a report that he
wants to be traded on the same day he was named to participate in
Monday's Home Run Derby. The Rockies have won only two of their last
nine games entering Friday's contest against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, and Gonzalez said he wants to help the organization turn things around.
Gonzalez, who is batting .318 with 18 homers and 51 RBIs, said he hasn't expressed any unhappiness to anyone - not even his wife, kids or mother. "I have been here for a lot of bad moments and tough situations, so I want to see the bright (side)," Gonzalez told reporters. "I want to be here when that happens." All-Star candidate Trevor Story homered twice and drove in four runs in Thursday's 11-2 rout of the Phillies to match the National League rookie record of 21 blasts before the break - tying Dave Kingman (1972) and Albert Pujols (2001). Philadelphia had its four-game winning streak snapped and Maikel Franco didn't homer after going deep in each of the previous four games - one shy of the franchise mark.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Vince Velasquez (7-2, 3.34 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jon Gray (5-4, 4.81)
Velasquez defeated Kansas City in his last turn, when he struck out seven while giving up two runs and five hits in six innings. He has a 3-1 road record but has compiled a 5.02 ERA and a .297 batting average against in seven starts. Velasquez allowed five runs and seven hits - including a homer to Gonzalez - in 4 2/3 innings in his lone career start against the Rockies, which came last season when he was a member of the Houston Astros.
Gray lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn as he gave up three runs and six hits in six innings. He is 3-0 with a 5.05 ERA in six outings at Coors Field this season, lowering his ERA to 6.23 in 11 career starts in his home ballpark. Gray has fanned 87 in 82 1/3 innings and has struck out 10 or more on three occasions this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu went 3-for-5 with three runs scored on Thursday and is 24-for-55 over his last 14 games
2. Philadelphia 1B Ryan Howard hit his 369th career homer in the opener to tie Ralph Kiner and Todd Helton for 78th place on the all-time list.
3. Colorado 1B Mark Reynolds homered and notched a season-best four RBIs on Thursday and is 5-for-12 over his last three contests.