The Colorado Rockies are looking to take the second game of the three-game series with the Philadelphia Phillies, and their third consecutive win, in tonight’s 6:10 contest at Coors Field in Denver. Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie (3-8, 6.05) steps to the mound to face Phillies’ righty Vance Worley (4-5, 3.54) in a battle of two teams that look like sellers as the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaches. Guthrie is coming-off successive 6-inning/2-run starts after pitching in the piggy-back role during the early weeks of Colorado’s 4/75 rotation. The Rockies opened the post-All Star Break portion of their season with a crisply executed 6-2 win over Philadelphia and Cliff Lee on Friday night, receiving a sharp, effective start by rookie left-hander Christian Friedrich and a sensational debut by fellow rookie Josh Rutledge, who went 2 for 2, drove-in 2, walked and stole a base.
The bespectacled Worley has been effective for the Phillies, allowing no more than 3 earned runs in all but one of eight starts dating back to May 11. Philadelphia, which only recently regained the services of perennial all-stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard, has lost five straight and trails first-place Washington in the NL East by 15 games. The Phillies are playing .420 ball, barely better than lowly Colorado in their first non-contending campaign in recent memory. Former Rockie Juan Pierre will bat seventh and start in left-field for Philadelphia.
Shortstop Rutledge is back in the Colorado lineup, tonight with Wilin Rosario behind the plate, and 1st baseman Michael Cuddyer returning to the clean-up slot. Game-time weather in lower downtown will feature a temperature of 88 degrees with winds from the south at a gusty 18 mph and 18% relative humidity. Temperature and wind speeds are expected to drop as play proceeds. Tonight’s action will be broadcast on the local outlets, Root Sports and KOA 850 am.
| PHILADELPHIA (37-51) SS Jimmy Rollins CF Shane Victorino 2B Chase Utley 1B Ryan Howard C Carlos Ruiz RF Hunter Pence LF Juan Pierre 3B Mike Fontenot P Vance Worley |
COLORADO (34-52) CF Dexter Fowler 2B Marco Scutaro LF Carlos Gonzalez 1B Michael Cuudyer RF Tyler Colvin 3B Jordan Pacheco C Wilin Rosario SS Josh Rutledge P Jeremy Guthrie |
Great comments on the ASB post earlier this week group, despite “whatever Prog was smokin.’”
Let’s go get #3 in a row!
The suspense is killing me. Can we actually go 7 days without a loss? We shall see.
Bob. We went 5-6 months without a loss. Of course that was last fall and winter.
Not really. Several of O’Dowd’s trades were definitely losses. Gotta consider his performance as well as those on the field.
One of the many drawbacks of the 4 man 75 (or so) pitch limit is the drain on the bullpen. Early in the year Tracy was complaining (as we all were) about the starters not going deep into games. Now they are not allowed to. Last night there was no reason to pull Friedrich. But he did and Besilele and Brothers both pitched. Tonight they did again. The results weren’t so good. Meanwhile he only uses Betancourt to save games. Guthrie probably should have been pulled tonight. Actually he shouldn’t have even started. But to do it automatically is stupid. And the guys who call the games, on radio and TV, seem to love it. Of course they love their paycheck