Philadelphia @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( May 10, 2010 ) Philadelphia 9, Colorado 5
After a weather-induced night off, the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies will attempt to play two games today with wintry storm forecasts still prevalent in the Denver area.
The split doubleheader is slated to start with the originally scheduled afternoon game and to be followed by a game later tonight.
It’s certainly possible that one or both of today’s games could be postponed with the forecast calling for a 70 percent chance of snow and rain.
Tuesday’s postponement kept Denver native Roy Halladay from making his Coors Field debut. Halladay spent the past 11-plus seasons with the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League, and his only interleague start against the Rockies came in Toronto back in 2002.
Halladay will start Game 1. He is 6-1 with a 1.45 earned-run average for the Phillies, who acquired him in a three-team trade that sent 2009 postseason hero Cliff Lee to the Seattle Mariners.
Halladay has struck out 48 and walked just seven in 56 innings. He has thrown three complete games, including shutouts of Atlanta and the New York Mets.
Colorado played Monday without shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and left fielder Carlos Gonzalez. In addition, slumping first baseman Todd Helton was given the day off after striking out seven times in 12 at-bats during a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Tulowitzki had an MRI exam on his injured quadriceps the exam revealed a strain but no significant damage. He could be back later this week.
Gonzalez was placed on the bereavement list – he went to Venezuela for the funeral of an uncle – and isn’t eligible to play again until Wednesday.
Jason Giambi replaced Helton at first base and provided an offensive lift by going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. Giambi was just 2-for-22 (.091) entering the contest.
Opposing Halladay in the opener will be Colorado’s Aaron Cook, who has a 6.03 ERA this season. Cook has struggled against the Phillies with a 1-5 career mark and 5.85 ERA.
Phillies second baseman Chase Utley is hitting .381 with 11 RBIs in 21 career at-bats against Cook.
Philadelphia closer Brad Lidge, who also attended high school in the Denver area, might not be available should a save opportunity present itself. Lidge felt elbow stiffness after pitching against Atlanta on Sunday and the soreness persisted Monday.
The Phillies won the opener of the three-game series with a 9-5 win on Monday. Carlos Ruiz went 4-for-5 with a homer and Shane Victorino reached base five times.