Diamondbacks-Rockies Game 1: The Chase Field Hex
By Thomas Lynch
Wade Miley gets the nod for the opening game of a three game set with the Rockies. Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Out of all the depressing numbers and statistics this season for the Arizona Diamondbacks, this number may be the worst of all: 2. That represents the number of victories at Chase Field this season. Sure, this homestand started off promising enough as the team won its third game in a row Friday night, a 5-4 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies. The good vibes continued Saturday as they roughed up Cliff Lee and led 5-0 going into the seventh inning. Then the tide turned yet again and the D’backs have not scored a run in 15 innings. How is it that we are 28 games into the 2014 season and the team has exactly two wins at home? The benchmark of futility, the 120-loss 1962 New York Mets had six home wins through their first 28 games.
Arizona will now host the Colorado Rockies for three games. Out to the mound for his seventh start of the year will be Wade Miley who beat the Rockies on April 6th. It was the 27-year old lefty’s best game of the season as he pitched eight innings and gave up only two earned runs as the D’backs won 5-3 at Coors Field. He will be opposed by left-hander Franklin Morales, who was re-inserted into the rotation after Brett Anderson fractured his index finger. Morales is now 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA while Miley stands at 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA.
Miley’s gem in Colorado was the only win for the Snakes of the series and if you remember, this was when the Rox’s Charlie Blackmon burst onto the national scene. It was in the first game of the set in which Blackmon went 6 for 6 with four runs scored and 5 RBI’s as the Rockies won 12-2. Checking the standings, the D’backs are seven games behind their division rival, who sit in second place at 14-12, a game and a half behind the first place San Francisco Giants. First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 PM MST. Here is the D’backs’ lineup:
1-A.J. Pollock-CF
2–Martin Prado-3B
3-Paul Goldschmidt-1B
4-Miguel Montero-C
5-Aaron Hill-2B
6-Cody Ross-LF
7-Gerardo Parra-RF
8-Chris Owings-SS
9-Wade Miley-P
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