Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Colorado Rockies are taking the 2019 season to extremes, leading the National League in runs scored and runs against as they visit the Arizona Diamondbacks for a three-game series beginning Friday. Colorado, though, pitches much better on the road with a 3.90 ERA compared to a 6.41 mark at home after allowing 109 runs in its last 13 games at Coors Field.
“We led the National League in innings pitched last year as a starting rotation,” Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters about a unit that entered Thursday with the highest ERA in baseball at 5.18. “It doesn’t look like we’re going to do that this year. We’ve got to pick that part of our team up here, starting Friday (at Arizona) and then after the All-Star break, if we want to get to where we want to be. ... Our bullpen (4.71 ERA) has to improve, collectively, to a man - all 13 guys. All 13 guys who are active have to pitch better.” Colorado's Antonio Senzatela takes the ball Friday after going 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA in his last three road starts - including a victory over Arizona - and opposes Zack Greinke, who has struggled against the Rockies this season. The Diamondbacks (43-45) have lost three straight and, like Colorado (44-42), are well out of the National League West race but among several teams in wild card contention. The Rockies have won eight of 10 meetings this season, including a three-game sweep by a combined 20-9 at Chase Field last month.
TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Antonio Senzatela (7-5, 4.83 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (9-3, 2.90)
Senzatela is 2-0 with a 2.50 ERA in his last three starts after allowing five runs (two earned), seven hits and five walks in five innings of a 13-9 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 28. The 24-year-old Venezuelan has yielded two or fewer earned runs in six of his last seven starts but walked 21 with 20 strikeouts in 40 innings during that span. Arizona's Nick Ahmed and Ketel Marte are a combined 13-for-28 against Senzatela, who is 2-4 with a 4.93 ERA in 10 games (six starts) versus the Diamondbacks - 1-0, 2.13 in two turns this season.
Greinke permitted five hits and struck out six in seven scoreless innings of a 4-3 victory at San Francisco on Saturday. The 35-year-old Florida native, who needs three strikeouts to move into 32nd on baseball's all-time list, allowed nine runs across 13 innings over his previous two starts - five in a 6-4 loss to Colorado on June 19. Mark Reynolds is 7-for-36 with four home runs and 14 strikeouts versus Greinke, who is 12-7 with a 3.81 ERA in 33 career games (32 starts) against the Rockies - 0-1, 4.26 in three turns this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Colorado RF Charlie Blackmon, the NL Player of the Month for June, is batting .236 on the road and .460 at home this season.
2. Arizona LF David Peralta left Wednesday's game with shoulder soreness and was to undergo an MRI on Thursday.
3. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado entered Thursday sixth in the majors in WAR at 3.5 with Marte eighth at 3.4.