Curious how a whimsical gimmick can break a team out of a funk. Or perhaps how a pitcher in decline can wake a stumbling offense out of its slumber. The Colorado Rockies will find-out if their sartorial strategy has legs later this morning when they meet the Washington Nationals in the last of a 4 game series at Nationals Park in Washington DC starting at 11:35 am MDT. They’ll follow a series of strong pitching performances by their starters with perhaps the best of their group, left-hander Jorge De La Rosa (7-4, 3.2). He’ll match up against fellow lefty Ross Detwiler (2-5, 3.34) on a cloudy afternoon in the Natioin’s Capital.
De La Rosa is coming-off a strong but fruitless performance Monday in Canada, when he held the Toronto Blue Jays to one hit over 7 innings but watched from the dugout as Matt Belisle gave-up 2 runs in the 8th inning of Colorado’s first of 5 straight losses that opened the eastern road swing that concludes with 2 in Boston after a Monday off-day. Detwiler lost on Tuesday, when he turned-in 6 innings, surrendering 4 runs on 7 hits in a 4-2 Washington loss to in Philadelphia.
Big Money Michael Cuddyer will be looking to extend a 20-game hitting streak to 21, in pursuit of the Rockies’ record held by his hitting coach Dante Bichette (22). He be back in right-field, cleaning-up, as Jordan Pacheco gets the start at 1st-base versus Detwiler. Jeff Kobernus will lead-off in center for the Nats, and Kurt Suzuki will be back behind the plate for Davey Johnson’s nine.
It’ll be muggy in the District with temperatures in the low 80°s. The humidity will be north of 70%. Wind will be negligible at game time and pick-up to about 8 MPH, blowing-out to left-center. TV’s ROoT, radio KOA.
IN GAME CHAT
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Pre-game Root is showing a piece done by Ringolsby on 1970s phenom David Clyde. Really nice piece, and good to see Root taking advantage of the Hall of Fame writer they have on their staff, letting him stretch out and write a full piece again. Great job, Cowboy … Root, let’s see more of that!
is it just me or are the cameras more zoomed in during this series than normal? I thought maybe my tv was set on expand or zoom, but its not.
Why do our bullpen guys nibble at the strike zone with a lead?
Man, this is brutal. How can we blow so many leads? We need Betancourt back immediately.
Belisle needs a vacation. Scahill needs a reassignment. Lopez is unreliable. Brothers gives up a double to a guy hitting .129. What bullpen?
I’m listening on radio while working so haven’t seen the game but this seems like another inexperienced Walt Weiss managed game. Instead of putting in better defense in 8th and 9th (i.e. Helton and Herrara for Pacheco and Ruteledge) he makes cosmetic change in bringing in Colivn and Brothers has to hit in 9th.
On the double that Brothers gave up, it was a first pitch off speed.
.129 hitter…bring the heat!!! Quit trying to trick poor hitters damn it. Make him hit your BEST pitch!!
Rosario probably called the pitch, but Rex could have shook it off. Too many “nice guys” on this team. Need more pain in the asses.