The Colorado Rockies kicked off their road trip with an 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. It required some late-inning hitting, a sorely missing aspect of this team's game. Saturday will provide another test of stability for the Rockies.
Jason Hammel (5-9, 4.36 ERA) will look to pick things up after allowing six runs over five innings against the Braves on Monday. He had a nice start (6.1 innings, 2 R) against the Nationals to close out the first half, but he had been taken to task by the Royals just before then, allowing six runs in 3.2 innings. In Arizona on May 5, Hammel shutout the Diamondbacks for seven innings and held them to just four hits.
Josh Collmenter (5-5, 2.65 ERA), we all recall, is known for his unique delivery of going over the top (video). Collmenter went through a rough mid-to-late June and early July, but his last two starts, both against the Brewers, were outstanding. He 14 innings of shutout ball over both starts, kept them to just six hits and struck out 10. He's made two appearances, including one start, against the Rockies in his rookie season. The first was a two-inning relief appearance on May 4. On May 24, Collmenter took his first career loss in the first game of a double-header by allowing five runs in 4.1 innings at Coors Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m. MT
For more on the Rockies, visit Purple Row. Check out AZ Snakepit and SB Nation Arizona for news and notes on the Diamondbacks.