Rockies try for series sweep over Pirates

Published

Colorado Rockies (22-25, fourth in the NL West) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (24-22, third in the NL Central)

Pittsburgh; Thursday, 12 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rockies: Antonio Senzatela (3-3, 4.89 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 25 strikeouts) Pirates: Jordan Lyles (4-1, 1.97 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 41 strikeouts)

LINE: Pirates favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 8 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Colorado will sweep the series over Pittsburgh with a win.

The Pirates are 9-11 in home games. The Pittsburgh pitching staff owns a team ERA of 4.47, Joe Musgrove leads the staff with a mark of 4.00.

The Rockies are 13-14 on the road. Colorado hitters have posted a team on-base percentage of .310 this season, led by Charlie Blackmon with a mark of .355. The Rockies won the last meeting 9-3. Jon Gray secured his fourth victory and Tony Wolters went 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs for Colorado. Montana DuRapau took his first loss for Pittsburgh.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Bell leads the Pirates with 15 home runs and is batting .331. Bryan Reynolds is 9-for-30 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBIs over the last 10 games for Pittsburgh.

Nolan Arenado leads the Rockies with 35 RBIs and is batting .312. Blackmon is 14-for-45 with a double, a triple, five home runs and 10 RBIs over the last 10 games for Colorado.

LAST 10 GAMES: Pirates: 5-5, .266 batting average, 5.38 ERA, outscored by 11 runs

Rockies: 5-5, .275 batting average, 3.84 ERA, outscored opponents by 19 runs

Pirates Injuries: Trevor Williams: 10-day IL (right side strain), Jameson Taillon: 60-day IL (elbow), Edgar Santana: 60-day IL (elbow), Chad Kuhl: 60-day IL (elbow), Keone Kela: 10-day IL (shoulder), Nick Burdi: 60-day IL (biceps), Corey Dickerson: 10-day IL (shoulder), Lonnie Chisenhall: 10-day IL (finger), Jung Ho Kang: 10-day IL (side), Erik Gonzalez: 60-day IL (collarbone), Francisco Cervelli: day-to-day (chest).

Rockies Injuries: Chris Rusin: 10-day IL (back), Harrison Musgrave: 10-day IL (elbow), Wade Davis: 10-day IL (left oblique strain), Tyler Anderson: 60-day IL (left knee chondral defect), Noel Cuevas: 10-day IL (quad).