Diamondbacks-Rockies Preview: Teams in Turmoil

Chase Anderson gets the start tonight against the Colorado Rockies. Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Diamondbacks and the Colorado Rockies last played each other June 4th-June 6th at Coors Field. The D’backs took all three contests, one of only two times the team has swept an opponent in 2014. Since starting the season 16-13, the Rockies have driven off the proverbial cliff. They are 17-42 in the months of June, July and August to sink all the way to last place in the National League West at 45-69. Their owner, Dick Monfort, touched off a national frenzy when wrote one disappointed fan, “If product and experience that bad don’t come!” Of course, the Snakes have made negative headlines of their own with the plunking of Andrew McCutchen. In short, both teams probably can’t wait for the season to finish.

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Chase Anderson, one of the few good stories for the D’backs, gets the ball for the opening game against fellow rookie Tyler Matzek. Anderson is 6-4 with a 3.19 ERA and has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his 13 starts. He has pitched 112 1/3 innings for Arizona and Triple A Reno, a career-high. We could be looking at one of his last appearances. Matzek is a 23-year old left-hander who was Colorado’s #1 pick in the 2009 Draft. On Saturday, Trevor Cahill gets the nod for the D’backs and he will face lefty Jorge De La Rosa. Cahill had his best outing of the season on Sunday against the Pirates when he went seven innings and allowed one run on three hits, walking one and striking out seven. De La Rosa is having a nice season with an 11-7 record and a 4.27 ERA. He has pitched 11 1/3 innings against the Snakes in 2014 and has allowed 11 hits and six earned runs. The finale on Sunday will pit Wade Miley against the Major’s most popular pitcher, To Be Determined. Miley is coming off the worst outing of his career, having given up 10 earned runs in less than five innings vs. the Royals on Tuesday night.

Jake Lamb made his Major League debut last night and collected his first hit and first RBI of his career. He is in the starting lineup again and with Andy Marte designated for assignment, expect Lamb to the primary Arizona third baseman for the rest of the season. David Peralta is 2 for his last 13 but still sports a solid .308/.341/.458 line. Mark Trumbo has hit in five of six games in August, going 8 for 22. For the Rockies, Corey Dickerson and Carlos Gonzalez were each a hit away from the cycle on Wednesday. Gonzalez was missing a triple while Dickerson failed to connect on a home run. Troy Tulowitzki is on the disabled list with a hip injury and will miss this series. Charlie Blackmon, who had a 6 for 6 game against the D’backs on April 4th has cooled off a bit. Still, he is having a nice year with 14 home runs and 56 RBI’s with a line of .291/.338/.443.