Milwaukee @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 14, 2011 ) Milwaukee 3, Colorado 12
THE STORY: Trying to put together one of their patented second-half surges, the Colorado Rockies will be brimming with confidence when they host Milwaukee in the second of a four-game series Friday. Colorado won 12-3 Thursday, producing 20 hits. Leadoff hitter Ryan Spilborghs went 4-for-6 with a homer, four RBIs, three runs scored and a steal. It was a welcome outburst for the Rockies, who had scored just 13 runs in seven games entering the All-Star break.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ROOT, WMLW 41
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Juan Nicasio (3-2, 4.91 ERA) vs. Brewers LH Chris Narveson (6-5, 4.75 ERA) –
Nicasio has been lit up in three of his last four starts, allowing 15 earned runs over 20 innings. But all of those poor outings came on the road. In four home starts, Nicasio is 3-0 with a 2.08 ERA and 19 strikeouts over 26 innings. Still, he might need a strong outing to stay in the rotation.
Narveson has yielded 26 hits over his last three starts. He’s 1-3 on the road this season, with a 5.72 ERA. Current Rockies are hitting .414 against him. However, he limited Cincinnati to two runs over six innings in his last outing.
ABOUT THE ROCKIES (44-48): Slugger Carlos Gonzalez (.292, 13 HR, 51 RBI) remains day-to-day with a deep bruise in his right wrist. He did not play Thursday after also sitting out four games in the Rockies' seven-game road trip before the All-Star break. Colorado ranks fifth in the NL in runs scored with 407, just behind Milwaukee’s 408. Third baseman Ian Stewart raised his average 35 points Thursday, to .141, with a 3-for-5 performance that included two doubles.
ABOUT THE BREWERS (49-44): All-Star left fielder Ryan Braun returned Thursday from a calf injury that had sidelined him since July 2. He doubled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 23 games and finished 2-for-4. First baseman Prince Fielder, the All-Star game MVP, got his 73rd RBI but also was charged with his 10th error. Francisco Rodriguez, the star reliever acquired from the Mets over the All-Star break, did not pitch and still awaits his Brewers debut.
FINAL PITCH: The Brewers are just 16-30 on the road.