Diamondbacks at Rockies
Nolan Arenado hit for the cycle over the weekend to cap off a dramatic comeback victory against one National League West rival and, at his current pace, he may be able to complete another cycle just on game-winning hits alone by the end of the week. The two-time All-Star looks to continue his torrid June on Wednesday when the host Rockies play the middle contest of their three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Arenado became the fifth player in major-league history to complete a cycle by hitting a game-ending home run Sunday with a three-run blast in the ninth inning against San Francisco and added to his late-inning resume with a go-ahead two-run triple in the eighth in Tuesday's 4-3 series-opening victory over Arizona. The 26-year-old third baseman went 2-for-4 in the triumph and is batting .500 with 11 RBIs during his five-game hitting streak in a month in which he is batting .368 with 23 RBIs. “(Arenado is) doing Kobe Bryant stuff; he’s on a different level right now," teammate Carlos Gonzalez told the Denver Post. Arizona, which could have pulled even with Colorado in the division with a victory in the opener, saw its season-high seven-game winning streak snapped but will try to return the favor Wednesday as the Rockies own the majors' longest active winning streak at six games.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Taijuan Walker (5-3, 3.32 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jeff Hoffman (4-0, 2.25)
Walker returned to the rotation last Wednesday with a win after spending over a month on the disabled list, holding Detroit to one run on six hits while striking out six over five innings. The 24-year-old Louisiana native has been at his best away from Arizona this year, going 3-2 with a 2.30 ERA in six turns (as opposed to 2-1, 4.56 in four home outings). Ian Desmond (4-for-11, home run) has fared well against Walker, who took the loss at Colorado on May 7 after yielding three runs (one earned) in 5 2/3 frames.
Hoffman failed to win his fifth straight start Thursday, but he continued to hold the opposition in check despite his shakiest outing of the season, settling for a no-decision despite allowing seven hits and three walks across five innings. The East Carolina product has permitted exactly one run in each of his last four turns, although his last outing marked the first time he fanned fewer than seven since becoming a starter. Hoffman was tagged for seven runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings in his only start versus the Diamondbacks last September.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Rockies are a MLB-best 14-4 in June, 45-0 when leading after seven innings and 36-6 when they score first.
2. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt is batting .397 with five home runs and 19 RBIs this month and has reached base safely in 59 of his last 61 games against Colorado.
3. Colorado RF Carlos Gonzalez homered Tuesday for only the second time since May 24 on Tuesday and is 5-for-14 over his last four games after opening June by going 4-for-37.