Streaking Rox Do New York

Unencumbered by nuisance details such as the Pressure of Contending, it appears the Colorado Rockies may put on a bit of a prance to the finish as the clock ticks down on the 2014 season.  They put together their second winning week in the last three, concluding a 7-game set at Coors Field with a 3-game sweep of the San Diego Padres.  They’ve won 4 in a row, and figuring-in the 4 they split with the San Francisco Giants turned-in a 5-2 week that spanned the homestand.  Tonight they’re at Citi Field in the borough of Queens, New York for the first of three with the New York Mets, starting at 5:10 pm MDT.

The week gone-by was highlighted by Tyler Matzek’s 3-hit shutout Friday night.  Matzek has emerged in the past month from a rough christening, and by all indications looks to be mainstay on the mound in future seasons.  Christian Bergman won his second start since returning from the DL, and along with Jorge De La Rosa and tonight’s starter, Jordan Lyles (6-2, 4.35), the Rockies have back something resembling a competent rotation, even as good old Frankie Morales still can’t find his way back to the pen.

Colorado heads to St Louis after the 3-pack in Queens, where a Cardinals team that leads the NL Central awaits as the battle for the playoffs ratchets into high gear.  With the exception of the NL West, where the detested Dodgers lead the hated Giants by 3, and the AL Central, where Kansas City remains 2 in front of the Tigers, the Division Races are pretty well sewn-up.  The Cards are out by 4 over the Pirates and 5 over the Brewers.  In NL East the Nationals have the Braves in the rear-view by 7.  Baltimore has the AL East under control, up on the Yankees by 9-1/2 and 10 over the Blue Jays.  The Angels have beaten-back the A’s and the Mariners in the AL West, up by 7-1/2 and 9-1/2 respectively.  The A’s and Tigers are in-line to joust over the last spot in the American League.  In the National it’s a scrum between the Braves, Pirates, and Brewers to wrest the final slot from San Francisco.

Lyles will match up against left-hander Jon Liese (8-10, 3.68) for the Rockies in New York.  Lyles went
6-1/3 in the Tuesday game with the Giants that was destroyed by the Colorado bullpen.  6 of the San Francisco runs were charged to Lyles, who gave-up 8 hits, walked 2, and struck-out 5.  Niese was also out Tuesday, getting a win over Miami despite surrendering 6 runs on 10 hits in 6 innings.

Big Money Michael Cuddyer is back in Colorado manager Walt Weiss lineup for the Big Apple, hitting cleanup at 1st-base.  Josh Rutledge moves-up to the 2-slot, and Mike McKenry is back behind the plate, hitting 6th.  We haven’t seen much of the Mets in 2014, and I don’t know who half of them are.  Lucas Duda (Duda Day) hangs-in at 1st, also hitting cleanup, with household names Juan Lagares in center-field, Wilmer Flores at short and Dilson Herrera at 2nd.

The weather in Queens is partly cloudy and cool, temperature in the high 60ºs, and wind blowing in from left-field.  Drew and Jeff have the play-by-play on ROoT tonight, I’m sure of it this time.  It’s Jerry and Jack on radio 850 KOA.

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