Philadelphia @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Oct 12, 2009 ) Philadelphia 5, Colorado 4
The Colorado Rockies figure to be severely shorthanded when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night in the first meeting between the teams since last season’s National League Division Series.
Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki strained his right quadriceps on Sunday and hot-hitting left fielder Carlos Gonzalez is in Venezuela to attend the funeral of a family member.
Tulowitzki left Sunday's game with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the fifth inning after attempting to complete a double play. Los Angeles' Blake DeWitt slid hard toward Tulowitzki, who sidestepped him but hurt himself in the process.
Any time the Rockies hear “quadriceps” and “Tulowitzki” in the same sentence, there are major worries. In 2008, Tulowitzki injured his left quadriceps and missed 46 games.
Sunday’s injury isn’t considered as serious but Tulowitzki will be re-evaluated Monday and could possibly undergo an MRI exam. For now, Tulowitzki is listed as “day to day.”
Meanwhile, Gonzalez has been the Rockies’ second-best player behind pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez so far this season. He left Sunday for the funeral of an uncle who was like a father figure to him.
Gonzalez is batting .318 with a club-best 25 RBIs. He recorded 18 of those RBIs over his last 11 games.
Gonzalez also was a constant thorn to the Phillies during last October’s four-game playoff series. Gonzalez batted .588 (10-of-17), scored five runs and had multiple hits in all four games.
It looks likely that All-Star outfielder Brad Hawpe (quadriceps) will be activated from the disabled list prior to Monday’s game. Hawpe had 68 extra-base hits last season and will bolster a sagging middle of the order that includes struggling Todd Helton, who is homerless in 100 at-bats this season and struck out in seven of his 12 at-bats against the Dodgers.
Meanwhile, the Phillies arrive in Denver with a 7-2 record in May and as leaders of the NL East with a 19-12 record.
Philadelphia’s last outing at Coors Field was a memorable one. The Phillies scored three runs in the top of the ninth against Rockies closer Huston Street in Game 4 of the NLDS to advance to the league's championship series.
Right fielder Jayson Werth, who had the game-winning hit in the decisive playoff game, has been sensational for the Phillies. He has a team-best 26 RBIs and an NL-leading 23 extra-base hits. Werth has seven homers and is batting .349.
Werth’s homer in Sunday’s victory over the Atlanta Braves was the 100th of his career.
Center fielder Shane Victorino also has seven homers and is second on the team with 25 RBIs. Second baseman Chase Utley leads the Phillies with eight homers and first baseman Ryan Howard has just five homers to go with 20 RBIs.
Closer Brad Lidge recently was activated from the disabled list – he had elbow and knee surgeries in the offseason – and posted his first save of the season on Sunday.
The Phillies are starting Kyle Kendrick (1-1) on Monday, who is coming off his best start of the season. Kendrick pitched seven shutout innings against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 5 to lower this ERA to 5.87.
Colorado starter Greg Smith (1-2) has a 6.35 ERA but allowed just one run in five innings in his last start against San Diego.