Cardinals at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies were back at it offensively in the series opener after a brief hiccup and hope to continue swinging hot bats in the middle contest of their three-game set against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday. Colorado used a 14-hit attack to pound St. Louis 10-0 on Friday for its fifth win in six games.
Charlie Blackmon extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 4-for-4 performance for the Rockies, who had scored six or more runs in six consecutive contests before being held to one at Philadelphia on Thursday. Blackmon began Colorado's eight-run, eighth-inning rally in the opener with his 12th homer of the year and ended it with an RBI single as he fell a double shy of the cycle. St. Louis has gone 1-3 on its six-game road trip, scoring a total of four runs in the defeats. Yadier Molina recorded one of the Cardinals' five hits on Friday to extend his hitting streak to 15 games.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Adam Wainwright (4-3, 4.81 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Kyle Freeland (5-2, 3.31)
Wainwright has turned around his season, winning four consecutive decisions after losing his first three starts. The 35-year-old Georgian has been superb in his last two outings, winning both while allowing one run and nine hits over 13 1/3 innings. Wainwright has dominated the Rockies throughout his career, going 9-1 (3-0 at Coors Field) with one shutout and a 1.70 ERA in 10 starts and four relief appearances.
Freeland has allowed three earned runs or fewer in each of his last seven starts, posting a 4-1 record in that span. Both of the 24-year-old native of Denver's losses this season have come at home, where the rookie has posted a 3.80 ERA as opposed to a 2.89 mark on the road. Freeland, who never has faced St. Louis, has struggled with his control, issuing 24 walks in 51 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cardinals OF Stephen Piscotty left the team Friday to attend to a personal matter and it is unknown when he will return.
2. Blackmon has collected 15 RBIs during his hitting streak and 18 over his last 11 games to raise his major league-leading total to 45.
3. St. Louis 1B/OF Jose Martinez (groin) began a rehab assignment with Single-A Palm Beach on Friday.