Rockies at Royals
Although the Colorado Rockies have endured pronounced struggles on the road of late, manager Bud Black's club has reason for optimism heading into Wednesday's second contest of a three-game interleague series versus Ian Kennedy and the Kansas City Royals. Kennedy is winless in a franchise-record 15 straight home starts, posting an 0-6 record and 5.98 ERA this season at Kauffman Stadium.
While Kennedy's home woes are evident, the Rockies are singing a sorry tune after mustering just two hits in Tuesday's 3-2 setback that has given them losses in eight of their last 11 overall games and 21 of their last 27 on the road after beginning the season with a 24-11 mark away from home. Nolan Arenado belted a two-run homer to extend his hitting streak to seven games, during which he has gone deep twice with seven RBIs and six runs scored. While Colorado is clinging to a three-game lead over Milwaukee in the race for the second wild-card spot in the National League, Kansas City has won six of nine to reside 1 1/2 games behind Minnesota for the American League's second wild card. Eric Hosmer drove in a run with a single on Tuesday to give him 12 hits, eight RBIs and six runs scored in his last nine games.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FSN Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Antonio Senzatela (10-4, 4.56 ERA) vs. Royals RH Ian Kennedy (4-9, 5.06)
Senzatela will assume the spot of the recently demoted Jeff Hoffman to make his first start since Aug. 9. The 22-year-old Venezuelan has recorded two hitless and scoreless relief appearances totaling four innings with five strikeouts. "We got a four-seam fastball, we got a curveball that looks like a four-seam fastball and we got a changeup that looks like a four-seam fastball," bullpen coach Darren Holmes told reporters regarding Senzatela's new pitch selection. "So now we got three pitches that when a hitter looks at, he can't identify what they are."
Kennedy fell to 0-3 in his last four turns on Friday after allowing five runs and six hits in 2 2/3 innings of a 10-1 shellacking against Cleveland. "I didn't have the fastball," the 32-year-old told reporters. "I didn't have the bite on my breaking balls. It was just a bad game to have it on." Kennedy surrendered a pair of homers for the second straight outing and has yielded five over his last three starts after keeping the ball in the park in each of his previous three trips to the mound.
WALK-OFFS
1. Kansas City 2B Whit Merrifield has recorded three hits in his last two games after going 0-for-19 with five strikeouts in his previous four.
2. Colorado SS Trevor Story has struck out at least once in 24 straight contests.
3. Royals LHP Mike Minor has fanned nine batters in his last three relief appearances (4 2/3 innings).