Exhausted Rockies look to regroup against Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks begin a nine-game homestand on Tuesday, which might not be as great as it sounds. Arizona is the only team in the majors to be above .500 overall (38-35) with a losing record at home (14-16) as this homestand begins against the Colorado Rockies, who are 5-2 this season against the D-backs, winning each of the past five games. This will be the teams' first meeting in Phoenix. Each team had Monday off, which was much needed for the Rockies. Colorado is coming off an exhausting home series against San Diego, as the teams combined for 92 runs, the most in a four-game series in 90 years. Colorado coughed up a six-run ninth-inning lead on Friday and blew a five-run advantage on Sunday, when it lost 14-13 to split the series. "I've never really seen anything like those types of games," Colorado right fielder Charlie Blackmon said on MLB.com. "I don't know. It's hard to compare it to anything. That's pretty much all I've got on that. "You can't really enjoy it. You go out there, you work really hard. ... It's just really hard to go out there, play that much baseball at altitude. To end up a split, it's disappointing." The Rockies scored 48 runs in the series and have scored at least nine runs in five of their past six games. Blackmon set a major league record with 15 hits in a four-game series. "We have an off day, but I don't think that's going to really do it justice," Blackmon said. "I really feel like a lot of guys gave up a lot physically to be able to play this much baseball. Everything has a cost. Hopefully, that doesn't come back and get us down the road." Arizona starter Merrill Kelly (7-6, 3.73 ERA) might be up to the task to chill the Rockies' bats and kick-start the Diamondbacks to a better showing at Chase Field. The 30-year-old rookie right-hander has allowed two runs in his past three starts, spanning 22 1/3 innings. He twirled 7 2/3 shutout innings giving up three hits on Wednesday in a 2-0 victory at the Philadelphia Phillies. Before this three-game run, he took the loss May 28 at Colorado, yielding four runs and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. It's his only start against the Rockies, giving him an 0-1 record in one start with a 5.40 ERA. Kelly spent the past four years pitching in Korea. "The more we get into the season, the more I go about my routine and be around these guys in the clubhouse, it's more of just a baseball game than a major league baseball game," Kelly said on MLB.com. "Just being accustomed to the traveling and the league and to the guys and the hitters, it's becoming more normal." Arizona is coming off a 7-3 road trip but lost 15-5 at the Washington Nationals on Sunday. The Diamondbacks, led by the hot-hitting Ketel Marte -- six homers in the past eight games, and a career-best 20 for the season -- will face right-hander Antonio Senzatela (5-5, 5.48 ERA). Senzatela is 1-4 with a 5.60 ERA in nine career appearances (five starts) vs. Arizona. That includes a no-decision when he opposed Merrill on May 28, as he allowed two runs and nine hits in six innings. --Field Level Media |