Rockies at Indians

Summary:

The Rockies open a three-game series with the Tribe tonight here in Cleveland. They are 8-7 all-time against the Indians but 1-5 at Progressive Field. This will be the sixth year the clubs have played, the first since 2008. The teams last played in Cleveland in 2005. Thier record in the month of June is 10-7

Rockies Rankings:

Pitching Matchups:

(Sorry If you cannot pronounce the names of some of the Rockies starters.)

RHP Fausto Carmona (4-8, 5.79 ERA) vs. RHP Juan Nicasio (2-1, 3.38), Tonight at 7:05

RHP Mitch Talbot (2-4, 5.02) vs. RHP Jhoulys Chacin (8-4, 2.81), Tomorrow at 7:05 p.m.

RHP Josh Tomlin (8-4, 3.93) vs. RHP Jason Hammel (3-6, 3.65), Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.

Rockies News/Notes:

• The Rockies finished their longest homestand of the season with a 6-4 record against the Dodgers, Padres and Tigers. SS Troy Tulowitzki went 14-for-38 (.368) on the homestand with four doubles, two homers, 10 RBI and seven runs, raising his average 15 points to .276, the highest it has been since he was hitting .284 on May 3.

• CF Carlos Gonzalez, although his season-long 11-game hitting streak ended, enjoyed a good homestand. He raised his average from .249 to .275 during the homestand by going 18-for-44 (.409) with five doubles, two homers, nine RBI and seven runs.

• Rookie LHP Rex Brothers gave up three runs, two earned, in the seventh inning. Covering home on a passed ball by C Matt Pagnozzi, who made his Rockies debut, Brothers was spiked by Tigers RF Brennan Boesch and suffered a cut on his right (non-throwing) forearm that required four stitches to close. According to the Denver Post, manager Jim Tracy said Brothers would be available “in a day or so.”

• The Rockies had their second and third sellouts of the season Saturday and Sunday against the Tigers. They drew 48,555 on Saturday and 49,015 on Sunday. The latter attendance is the sixth highest in Coors Field history. The Rockies’ other sellout this year was on Opening Day on April 1 when they drew 49,374.

• The Rockies fell back to 35-36 with their loss Sunday to the Tigers. Beating Detroit in the first two games of the season to extend their winning streak to four games, the Rockies reached .500 (35-35) for the first time since they were 24-24 on May 25. In the interim, the Rockies fell four games below .500 five times.

• RHP Ubaldo Jimenez’s two-run single in the second inning Saturday against the Tigers gave him his first career multi-RBI game and broke an 0-for-32 stretch since his last hit, Sept. 1 at San Francisco.

Injury Watch:

• LHP Rex Brothers (cut on right forearm) left the June 19 game. He might be unavailable for a few days.

• RHP Ubaldo Jimenez (right calf cramp) left his June 18 start. He doesn’t expect to miss a start. He is not scheduled to pitch in this series.

• C Jose Morales (fractured right thumb) went on the 60-day disabled list retroactive to June 16.

• CF Dexter Fowler (left abdominal strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 5. He began a rehab assignment with Class AAA Colorado Springs on June 14.

• RHP Matt Daley (right shoulder inflammation) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 1.

• RHP Esmil Rogers (strained right lat muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 2. He made rehab starts for Class AAA Colorado Springs on June 9 and June 14, but then he was shut down until late June due to a strained left ribcage muscle.

• LHP Jorge De La Rosa (torn ulnar collateral ligament in left elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list May 25. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery June 3.

Roster:

Rotation:

RHP Ubaldo Jimenez

RHP Jhoulys Chacin

RHP Jason Hammel

RHP Juan Nicasio

RHP Aaron Cook

Bullpen:

RHP Huston Street (closer)

RHP Rafael Betancourt

RHP Matt Belisle

RHP Matt Lindstrom

LHP Matt Reynolds

LHP Rex Brothers

RHP Clayton Mortensen

Catchers:

Chris Iannetta

Matt Pagnozzi

Infielders:

1B Todd Helton

2B Jonathan Herrera

SS Troy Tulowitzki

3B Ty Wigginton

INF Jason Giambi

INF Chris Nelson

Rockies set-up man Rafael Bentancourt.

He played a vital role in the Indians bullpen in their division run of 2007.

(Photo Courtesy of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.)