Cincinnati @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2011 ) Colorado 1, Cincinnati 2
THE STORY: A September series between the Colorado Rockies and the Cincinnati Reds appeared enticing at the beginning of the season, when both teams had legitimate playoff aspirations. Now it is just another series between disappointing teams playing out the string and trying to avoid losing seasons. The Rockies have drifted all the way down to fourth place in the National League West while the Reds are stuck in third in the NL Central, three games below .500. Pitching has been the main culprit behind both teams’ problems, and the three-game series at Coors Field this weekend could turn into a slugfest. Homer Bailey and Jhoulys Chacin will attempt to keep the ball in the park when they square off in Friday night’s opener.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSOH (Cincinnati), ROOT (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (11-10, 3.60 ERA) vs. Reds RH Homer Bailey (7-7, 4.57 ERA).
Chacin has won his last two starts but has not pitched since Aug. 28 due to a fever and tonsil inflammation. The 23-year-old was a little shaky in the win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start, issuing five walks while allowing four runs in five innings. Chacin took the loss at Cincinnati on Aug. 11 despite surrendering just two runs in eight innings.
Bailey has lost two in a row and lasted only three innings at the St. Louis Cardinals last Saturday, yielding five runs - four earned - on six hits. The righthander has made a pair of long trips to the disabled list this season and has had a difficult time gaining any sort of consistency. Bailey has never beaten the Rockies in four tries, posting a 7.23 ERA while failing to make it through the sixth inning in each of the turns.
ABOUT THE ROCKIES (67-76): Colorado has taken 10 straight games against the Reds at Coors Field but has dropped three of its last four and six of nine overall. The Rockies are getting an MVP-caliber season from Troy Tulowitzki and have had Carlos Gonzalez come on strong in the second half. The problem has been with the pitching staff, where Colorado ranks 14th in the National League in ERA and runs allowed. The Rockies have been encouraged by some of the young players who have gotten a chance to play lately, especially rookie catcher Wilin Rosario. The 22-year-old belted his first career homer in his second game on Wednesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
ABOUT THE REDS (70-73): Cincinnati sits 12th in the NL in ERA despite a rotation that was the envy of most others in the league entering spring training. Injuries and poor performance have significantly thinned out that depth, leaving the offense to rally most of the time. The Reds have dropped seven of their last 10 and needed extra innings to secure two of the three victories. They dropped a 6-3 decision to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday, wasting a strong start from Johnny Cueto when Bill Bray yielded a three-run homer in the eighth.
FINAL PITCH: Infielder Chris Nelson (bruised left heel) and first baseman Todd Helton (back stiffness) could return to the Rockies as soon as Friday. Neither injury appears serious, but with expanded rosters and no real stakes, manager Jim Tracy and the Rockies can afford to take their time. Nelson has been out since Aug. 23 and Helton has missed the last four games.