Marlins at Rockies
The Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies are well out of playoff contention but carry some momentum into their three-game series that begins Friday in Denver. Miami's flight to the Mile High City was a bit more tolerable after avoiding a season series sweep with a 13-7 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday while Colorado enjoyed a day off after Nolan Arenado belted a walk-off, two-run homer in Wednesday's 7-6 win over Arizona.
"It's been a grind for all of us individually and as a team," Arenado told reporters. "It feels good to come out with a win right there." The Rockies were 46-46 on July 14 but quickly faded from the wild card picture by losing 21 of their last 29 games while the Marlins (45-75) have dropped 10 of 13 as they head for their 10th straight losing season. Colorado's Jon Gray takes the ball Friday - three days after he was scheduled to start but was scratched with an ankle injury - and opposes Sandy Alcantara, who shut down the Rockies in March. Gray slipped coming down the dugout steps during a 9-3 loss at San Diego on Aug. 8 and continued to pitch, "but later that night, he started to get some swelling,'' Colorado manager Bud Black told reporters.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FS Florida (Miami), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Sandy Alcantara (4-10, 4.44 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jon Gray (10-8, 4.06)
Alcantara allowed three runs, five hits and two walks over 7 2/3 innings of Miami's 7-6 victory over Atlanta on Saturday. It was the second straight no-decision and fourth in five games for the 23-year-old Dominican, who is 0-4 with a 6.26 ERA in his last eight starts. Alcantara yielded four hits and struck out six across eight innings of a 3-0 victory over Gray and Colorado in his only appearance against the Rockies.
Gray permitted seven runs (three earned), six hits and two walks over 5 2/3 innings in his last outing. The 27-year-old Oklahoma native is 1-2 with a 5.00 ERA in his last five starts and didn't reach the sixth inning in four of them. Alcantara went 1-for-2 at the plate in March against Gray, who is 2-3 with a 5.14 ERA in six starts against Miami after allowing three runs with 10 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings earlier this season.
WALK-OFFS
1. Arenado is on pace for 36 home runs and 120 RBIs after averaging 39.5 and 125.8 from 2015-18.
2. The Marlins have allowed a home run in 17 straight games - one shy of the club record set in 1995, which was their third year of existence.
3. The clubs split four meetings in Miami to start the season.