MLB Preview: Colorado Rockies (37-59) at Miami Marlins (53-45)

COLORADO ROCKIES NOTES:

EASTBOUND AND DOWN

• The Colorado Rockies begin their first road trip of the second half starting with three games in Miami tonight Sunday followed by three in Washington July 24-26.
• The Rockies are coming off a 3-2 homestand after splitting the series with Houston 1-1 and taking two of three from the Yankees last Friday-Sunday … was the club’s first winning homestand since taking five of seven against the Marlins (3-1) and Mets (2-1) May 22-28.

START ME UP…PLEASE

• In 2023, the Rockies have had 53 games where the starter pitched five or more innings, going 29-24 in those contests with a combined ERA of 3.41 (298.1 IP, 113 ER) … in contests where the starter has failed to make it out of the fifth inning, the Rockies are 8-35 with a combined ERA of 12.76 (146.0 IP, 207 ER).
• The club’s 53 starts of five or more innings pitched stand as the fewest in the Majors behind San Francisco (55) while their 43 starts of 4.2 IP or fewer lead all clubs, just one ahead of the Giants (42) … left-handers Kyle Freeland (16) and Austin Gomber (13) lead the club in starts of five or more innings.

ARM BARN

• The Rockies bullpen has posted an MLB-best 1.74 ERA (41.1 IP, 8 ER) across the club’s last 10 games since July 4, holding opposing hitters to a .179 average (26-for-145) with just three extra-base hits allowed (two 2B, one HR) … the bullpen’s opponent average across that span is tied with Milwaukee for the lowest in the NL and third-lowest in the Majors.
• Colorado used six relievers Tuesday night vs. Houston to toss eight scoreless innings out of the bullpen, striking out five and walking two, the most innings pitched in a single game all-time by Colorado relievers without allowing a run … Rockies relievers are scoreless in five of the team’s last six games dating back to July 9, posting a 1.59 ERA (28.1 IP, 5 ER).
• Right-hander Matt Koch tossed a scoreless seventh inning on Wednesday to extend his scoreless inning streak to 10.2 … he trails Tim Harikkala (11.0 IP; April 20-May 11, 2004) for the sixth-longest scoreless inning streak to begin a Rockies’ career.

EXTRA SPECIAL

• The Rockies took two of three from the New York Yankees to begin the homestand, beating the Yankees 8-7 in 11 innings on Sunday, the Rockies’ longest game of the season … Alan Trejo connected on his first home run of the season and first career walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th … Nolan Jones hit a game-tying two-run home run in the 11th … C.J. Cron gave the Rockies a brief lead in the bottom of the eighth with a go-ahead grand slam … per Elias, it was the third time in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) that a team hit a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning or later, a game-tying home run in extra innings and a walk-off home run in extra innings.
• Cron’s grand slam was his second consecutive game with a home run, and his solo homer on Wednesday gave him three in his last four contests … over 16 games since being reinstated from the 10-day injured list, Cron is slashing .309/.345/.564 with two doubles, four home runs and nine RBI.

FREQUENT FLIERS

• The Rockies have used 48 total players this season, tied for the sixth-most in the Majors and their most since using 50 total players in 2019.
• 29 different players have made a pitching appearance, the Rockies’ most pitchers used since a franchise-record 31 different pitchers made an appearance in 2019 … the Rockies have used 13 different starting pitchers so far in 2023, their most since the 2014 club tied the franchise record with 15 starting pitchers (also: 1993).

STAR OF STARS

• Rockies catcher Elias Díaz was named the Most Valuable Player of the 93rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Seattle on Juy 11 after hitting a pinch-hit go-ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning to give the National League their first All-Star Game win since 2012.
• Díaz, the first catcher in franchise history to be named an All-Star, is the first All-Star Game MVP in franchise history … he is also the sixth catcher in MLB history to win the award, joining Brian McCann (2010), Sandy Alomar Jr. (1997), Mike Piazza (1996), Terry Steinbach (1988) and Gary Carter (1984, 1981).
• Díaz also became the fifth Rockies player to homer in the All-Star Game, joining Charlie Blackmon (2019), Trevor Story (2018), Matt Holliday (2008) and Todd Helton (2003) … at 32-years-236-days-old, he also became the fourth-oldest player to hit a home run in their first career All-Star Game, behind Babe Ruth (38-150), Frankie Frisch (35-300) and J.D. Drew (32-238).

THE ROOKIE, THE FATHER

• Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar has begun his Rockies career by starting 98 consecutive games, the longest stretch of consecutive starts without a bench appearance to begin a Rockies’ career, per Elias … the previous streak was 69 games by Trevor Story in 2016.
• The 21-year-old SS ranks among NL rookie leaders in doubles (21, 1st), batting average (.260, 3rd), hits (84, 3rd), extra-base hits (33, 3rd), RBI (46, 3rd), WAR (1.7, 3rd), triples (three, T-4th), games (89, T-4th) and home runs (nine, 7th).
• Tovar’s 1.3 defensive WAR ranks sixth overall in the NL, ranks fourth among NL shortstops and leads all NL rookies.

ROCKIES STARTING PITCHER – #20 PETER LAMBERT RHP
THAT’S A RELIEF

• Made 14 relief appearances and one start across his two stints with the Rockies this season, going 1-1 with a 6.29 ERA (34.1 IP, 24 ER).
• Made his season debut on May 10 at Pittsburgh, his first Major League appearance since Sept. 29, 2021 and the first relief appearance in his professional career.
• Combined to toss 5.2 scoreless innings across his first two appearances of the season May 10-13.
• Went 1-1 with an 8.20 ERA (18.2 IP, 17 ER) over his following eight appearances, allowing at least one run in each appearances.
• Earned the win on May 28 vs. New York-NL, allowing one run on three hits across 2.2 innings in an 11-10 Rockies win … first win since Sept. 14, 2019.
• Scoreless in three of his last five appearances June 16-July 1, but allowed a season-high five runs in one innings June 29 vs. the Dodgers.

KICK START

• Started on July 1 vs. Detroit at Coors Field in a bullpen game for the Rockies, his first start since Sept. 29, 2021.
• Tossed three scoreless innings to begin the game, allowing two hits with one walk and two strikeouts … left with the game tied 0-0.
• Was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque the following day to be stretched out as a starter.

MINOR MATTERS

• Has made seven total starts with Triple-A Albuquerque, going 0-2 with a 4.15 ERA (21.2 IP, 10 ER), 14 walks and 21 strikeouts … has held opponents to a .244 average with no home runs allowed.
• No decisions and a 3.24 ERA (8.1 IP, 3 ER) with seven hits, five walks and eight strikeouts in his two starts with the Isotopes since his last option.
• Last start on July 14 vs. Salt Lake … allowed two runs on three hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 4.1 innings … tossed a season-high 84 pitches.
• Made five of his seven starts in April and went 0-2 with a 4.73 ERA (13.1 IP, 7 ER.

START YOUR ENGINES

• Tossed 2.2 innings of relief vs. the Marlins on May 24, allowing five runs on six hits with no walks and three strikeouts in a 10-2 Rockies loss … entered the game with one out in the fifth inning and the Rockies trailing 5-1 … allowed two home runs, one to Jorge Soler and one to Jonathan Davis.
• Lone career start against the Marlins on Aug. 18, 2019 … allowed three runs on six hits across six innings but did not receive a decision in the 7-6 Rockies win in 10 innings.

MIAMI MARLINS NOTES:

No team release available.