Rockies' Jimenez Goes for 20th Win at Diamondbacks
Roy Halladay became the first NL pitcher to reach 20 wins last night. Now Ubaldo Jimenez looks to become the second when the Rockies battle the Diamondbacks.
Just when you think you have the game of baseball figured out, it jumps up and bites you on the tookus. The Colorado Rockies suffered a rare loss during their recent run towards the playoffs in the series opener with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. They'll look to bounce back Wednesday behind their staff ace.
Wednesday's second game of the series will match up Ubaldo Jimenez (22-8, 2.84) for the Rockies against Arizona's Rodrigo Lopez (10-20, 4.98). The two met 11 days ago in Denver in a tightly-pitched ballgame and this is the fourth head-to-head battle between them in 2010.
Jimenez and Colorado were listed from 180 to 200 chalk at the opening bell Tuesday afternoon. Nine was the total across the MLB betting board, with BetJamaica charging $1.15 for the 'under.'
Game 1 saw Arizona's Joe Saunders toss one of his best games in an otherwise disappointing season. The Rockies were 140 faves behind Jorge De La Rosa in the battle of southpaws that went to Saunders and the D-Backs by a 3-1 count. Colorado now holds a 9-7 lead in the season series, with Arizona 5-2 on its own diamond. The 'under' is 6-1 in Phoenix for the season.
Jimenez will be making his sixth start against the Diamondbacks this season. Colorado is 4-1 in the previous five with the NL Cy Young candidate owning a 1.64 ERA over 33 innings. The lone defeat was here at Chase Field about a month ago, Aug. 21. A sixth inning homer by Chris Young sunk Jimenez and the Rockies who were 160 favorites on the money line. The Colorado righty worked six and allowed all three D-Backs run in the 3-1 loss.
Colorado won his other start in Phoenix, 3-2, on June 6. Jimenez, minus 205 on the MLB odds chart that Sunday afternoon, worked seven and allowed two runs, both on Conor Jackson's homer with no outs in the bottom of the eighth.
I have always been a Rodrigo Lopez fan; the guy's a warrior. He isn't a great pitcher, but he's been reliable and has been pitching pretty well lately – 2.79 ERA in 19 1/3 September innings.
This is the fourth time Rockies hitters will see Lopez in 2010, with the Mexican righty 0-3 despite decent numbers against a very good lineup. He's faced Jimenez each time and has a 4.19 ERA in the three starts, allowing just two long balls.
The most recent clash between Jimenez and Lopez was two Saturdays ago at Coors Field. Colorado was a gi-normous 305 baseball odds favorite and trailed 1-0 entering the seventh. The Rockies reached Lopez finally for a pair of runs, and 2-1 was the final.
The 'under' is 2-1 in the previous three matchups between the two pitchers. The lone 'over' was May 26 in Colorado, a 7-3 Rockies win with the scoreboard number 8½ for that one.
Once again the roof should be shut. Your home plate umpire will be Dana DeMuth, which isn't the best of news for the Rocks. Home teams are 20-11 this season when DeMuth works the dish. The 'under' is 17-14 overall, and on a 4-1 run in his recent plate assignments.
The series finale on Thursday has Jeff Francis (9-8, 4.61) facing Ian Kennedy (14-16, 3.79). Colorado will make the short flight home following that game to begin a very pivotal series against the Giants. Tim Lincecum (19-12, 3.60) and Jhoulys Chacin (10-9, 3.30) are the scheduled hurlers for Friday's opener.
Arizona stays put and will host the Dodgers for the weekend. John Ely (8-8, 5.00) and Barry Enright (7-8, 3.87) are slated to pitch in Game 1.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
Roy Halladay became the first NL pitcher to reach 20 wins last night. Now Ubaldo Jimenez looks to become the second when the Rockies battle the Diamondbacks.
Just when you think you have the game of baseball figured out, it jumps up and bites you on the tookus. The Colorado Rockies suffered a rare loss during their recent run towards the playoffs in the series opener with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday. They'll look to bounce back Wednesday behind their staff ace.
Wednesday's second game of the series will match up Ubaldo Jimenez (22-8, 2.84) for the Rockies against Arizona's Rodrigo Lopez (10-20, 4.98). The two met 11 days ago in Denver in a tightly-pitched ballgame and this is the fourth head-to-head battle between them in 2010.
Jimenez and Colorado were listed from 180 to 200 chalk at the opening bell Tuesday afternoon. Nine was the total across the MLB betting board, with BetJamaica charging $1.15 for the 'under.'
Game 1 saw Arizona's Joe Saunders toss one of his best games in an otherwise disappointing season. The Rockies were 140 faves behind Jorge De La Rosa in the battle of southpaws that went to Saunders and the D-Backs by a 3-1 count. Colorado now holds a 9-7 lead in the season series, with Arizona 5-2 on its own diamond. The 'under' is 6-1 in Phoenix for the season.
Jimenez will be making his sixth start against the Diamondbacks this season. Colorado is 4-1 in the previous five with the NL Cy Young candidate owning a 1.64 ERA over 33 innings. The lone defeat was here at Chase Field about a month ago, Aug. 21. A sixth inning homer by Chris Young sunk Jimenez and the Rockies who were 160 favorites on the money line. The Colorado righty worked six and allowed all three D-Backs run in the 3-1 loss.
Colorado won his other start in Phoenix, 3-2, on June 6. Jimenez, minus 205 on the MLB odds chart that Sunday afternoon, worked seven and allowed two runs, both on Conor Jackson's homer with no outs in the bottom of the eighth.
I have always been a Rodrigo Lopez fan; the guy's a warrior. He isn't a great pitcher, but he's been reliable and has been pitching pretty well lately – 2.79 ERA in 19 1/3 September innings.
This is the fourth time Rockies hitters will see Lopez in 2010, with the Mexican righty 0-3 despite decent numbers against a very good lineup. He's faced Jimenez each time and has a 4.19 ERA in the three starts, allowing just two long balls.
The most recent clash between Jimenez and Lopez was two Saturdays ago at Coors Field. Colorado was a gi-normous 305 baseball odds favorite and trailed 1-0 entering the seventh. The Rockies reached Lopez finally for a pair of runs, and 2-1 was the final.
The 'under' is 2-1 in the previous three matchups between the two pitchers. The lone 'over' was May 26 in Colorado, a 7-3 Rockies win with the scoreboard number 8½ for that one.
Once again the roof should be shut. Your home plate umpire will be Dana DeMuth, which isn't the best of news for the Rocks. Home teams are 20-11 this season when DeMuth works the dish. The 'under' is 17-14 overall, and on a 4-1 run in his recent plate assignments.
The series finale on Thursday has Jeff Francis (9-8, 4.61) facing Ian Kennedy (14-16, 3.79). Colorado will make the short flight home following that game to begin a very pivotal series against the Giants. Tim Lincecum (19-12, 3.60) and Jhoulys Chacin (10-9, 3.30) are the scheduled hurlers for Friday's opener.
Arizona stays put and will host the Dodgers for the weekend. John Ely (8-8, 5.00) and Barry Enright (7-8, 3.87) are slated to pitch in Game 1.
NOTE: W-L records displayed for starting pitchers are team records in games the pitchers start.
