2007 NLCS: Colorado Rockies vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Game 2, Friday, Oct 12, 10:18 p.m. (ET) TBS
Move aside, Energizer Bunny. The Colorado Rockies are in town and they keep winning and winning and winning.
Reminiscent of the 1914 Miracle Braves, the late season run by the red hot Rocks marches on following last night’s 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of their NLCS. Colorado jumped on Snakes ace Brandon Webb early and silenced most of the 48,000-plus at the old BOB in Phoenix, then rode the left arm of Jeff Francis and the bullpen to the win.
It was the 94th overall win of the season for the Rockies, coincidentally the same number of regular season wins by those 1914 Boston Braves. And while the current Rockies can’t match those old Braves’ second half record -- They went 61-11 from mid-July on -- Colorado is certainly doing their best. Since sitting a game below .500 on July 15 at 45-46, Colorado is 20 games above break even (49-29). It’s their 18th win in the last 19 games and leaves them 27-8 over the past six weeks or so.
A franchise that had just one postseason appearance before this season, winning just one of four games in 1995, now goes for its fifth consecutive playoff win and perfect 6-0 mark in October including the thrilling play-in contest versus San Diego. Charged with mound chores the next two games will be a couple of rookies, starting with right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (4-4, 4.28).
Jimenez’ last start was Saturday when he worked 6.1 IP while allowing three hits and just one earned run in the Game 3 LDS clincher over the Phillies. He faced Arizona twice this season with the Rockies winning both games, including the Sep 30 contest that pushed Colorado into the wild card tiebreaker. His season linescore against the D-Backs reads 13 IP, 4 ER, 5 BB and 16 K. Jimenez was far more effective at home this season with a 3.81 ERA at Coors in nearly 50 frames compared to a 5.01 ERA in 32.1 IP on the road. His HR frequency was up on the road, and that was the biggest difference.
No Arizona batter has made more than six plate appearances against Jimenez, so it’s tough to draw a lot from such a limited sample. Then again, as limited as it’s been, the fact remains that just one of the four hits he’s allowed to Arizona left the yard and the Snakes are hitting just .118 as a team against the Dominican right-hander.
Left-hander Doug Davis (13-12, 4.25) will get the ball for the home team. He picked up the win in Game 2 of their NLDS versus the Cubs, sliding into the dubya despite allowing four runs in less than six innings of work as the Diamondbacks raked against Ted Lilly for an 8-4 triumph. The veteran out of Sacramento, CA, faced Colorado three times this year going 1-2 with a respectable 3.17 EA in 17 innings. Control trouble (12 walks) and shoddy fielding contributed to that 1-2 record in 2007.
The three starts this season were his first action against the Rockies since 2004 when he beat them one time while with the Brewers. He has but one other appearance versus Colorado, that coming in 2001 when Davis was with the Rangers and worked six innings while allowing three earned in a loss to the Rocks.
Willy Taveras, who was added to the Colorado roster for this series, has the most experience facing Davis, hitting .333 (6-for-18). Todd Helton (5-9, .556) has the only home run among the Rockies off Davis, though Garrett Atkins (5-9, .556) and Matt Holliday (4-8, .500) have done well facing the southpaw. Yorvit Torrealba (3-12, .250), Troy Tulowitzki (2-7, .286) and Kaz Matsui (2-7, .286) have done ok facing Davis, but nothing to write home about.
Mark Wegner should be behind the plate for this one. Just 35-years-old, this was Wegner’s eighth season working MLB games, and this is his fourth postseason assignment, having worked three LDS before. Wegner’s 15.3 strikeouts per game led all umpires with 30+ plate games this year, and that would lead you to believe he’s a pitcher’s friend and therefore an Under ump.
Not so. The Over came out on top 17-13-2 in Wegner’s plate assignments this season, though with just a 9.5 runs per game average. He worked one game in Arizona early in the season that went under, he worked two of Davis’ starts with the total split 1-1, and he called one Rockies game that stayed under.
Weather is once again pretty much a non-factor. It will be warm again during the day, with the temperature reaching the mid-90s. And it will cool a bit more during the evening, dropping to the mid-60s. There’s no chance of rain and what little wind might be blowing, should the roof be opened, will be out to center.
The moneyline opened at -105 for both teams, but has inched up a little to make the Rockies the -108 favorite with the total set at 9.
Game 2, Friday, Oct 12, 10:18 p.m. (ET) TBS
Move aside, Energizer Bunny. The Colorado Rockies are in town and they keep winning and winning and winning.
Reminiscent of the 1914 Miracle Braves, the late season run by the red hot Rocks marches on following last night’s 5-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 1 of their NLCS. Colorado jumped on Snakes ace Brandon Webb early and silenced most of the 48,000-plus at the old BOB in Phoenix, then rode the left arm of Jeff Francis and the bullpen to the win.
It was the 94th overall win of the season for the Rockies, coincidentally the same number of regular season wins by those 1914 Boston Braves. And while the current Rockies can’t match those old Braves’ second half record -- They went 61-11 from mid-July on -- Colorado is certainly doing their best. Since sitting a game below .500 on July 15 at 45-46, Colorado is 20 games above break even (49-29). It’s their 18th win in the last 19 games and leaves them 27-8 over the past six weeks or so.
A franchise that had just one postseason appearance before this season, winning just one of four games in 1995, now goes for its fifth consecutive playoff win and perfect 6-0 mark in October including the thrilling play-in contest versus San Diego. Charged with mound chores the next two games will be a couple of rookies, starting with right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez (4-4, 4.28).
Jimenez’ last start was Saturday when he worked 6.1 IP while allowing three hits and just one earned run in the Game 3 LDS clincher over the Phillies. He faced Arizona twice this season with the Rockies winning both games, including the Sep 30 contest that pushed Colorado into the wild card tiebreaker. His season linescore against the D-Backs reads 13 IP, 4 ER, 5 BB and 16 K. Jimenez was far more effective at home this season with a 3.81 ERA at Coors in nearly 50 frames compared to a 5.01 ERA in 32.1 IP on the road. His HR frequency was up on the road, and that was the biggest difference.
No Arizona batter has made more than six plate appearances against Jimenez, so it’s tough to draw a lot from such a limited sample. Then again, as limited as it’s been, the fact remains that just one of the four hits he’s allowed to Arizona left the yard and the Snakes are hitting just .118 as a team against the Dominican right-hander.
Left-hander Doug Davis (13-12, 4.25) will get the ball for the home team. He picked up the win in Game 2 of their NLDS versus the Cubs, sliding into the dubya despite allowing four runs in less than six innings of work as the Diamondbacks raked against Ted Lilly for an 8-4 triumph. The veteran out of Sacramento, CA, faced Colorado three times this year going 1-2 with a respectable 3.17 EA in 17 innings. Control trouble (12 walks) and shoddy fielding contributed to that 1-2 record in 2007.
The three starts this season were his first action against the Rockies since 2004 when he beat them one time while with the Brewers. He has but one other appearance versus Colorado, that coming in 2001 when Davis was with the Rangers and worked six innings while allowing three earned in a loss to the Rocks.
Willy Taveras, who was added to the Colorado roster for this series, has the most experience facing Davis, hitting .333 (6-for-18). Todd Helton (5-9, .556) has the only home run among the Rockies off Davis, though Garrett Atkins (5-9, .556) and Matt Holliday (4-8, .500) have done well facing the southpaw. Yorvit Torrealba (3-12, .250), Troy Tulowitzki (2-7, .286) and Kaz Matsui (2-7, .286) have done ok facing Davis, but nothing to write home about.
Mark Wegner should be behind the plate for this one. Just 35-years-old, this was Wegner’s eighth season working MLB games, and this is his fourth postseason assignment, having worked three LDS before. Wegner’s 15.3 strikeouts per game led all umpires with 30+ plate games this year, and that would lead you to believe he’s a pitcher’s friend and therefore an Under ump.
Not so. The Over came out on top 17-13-2 in Wegner’s plate assignments this season, though with just a 9.5 runs per game average. He worked one game in Arizona early in the season that went under, he worked two of Davis’ starts with the total split 1-1, and he called one Rockies game that stayed under.
Weather is once again pretty much a non-factor. It will be warm again during the day, with the temperature reaching the mid-90s. And it will cool a bit more during the evening, dropping to the mid-60s. There’s no chance of rain and what little wind might be blowing, should the roof be opened, will be out to center.
The moneyline opened at -105 for both teams, but has inched up a little to make the Rockies the -108 favorite with the total set at 9.