Arizona @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2014 ) Arizona 6, Colorado 4

The Colorado Rockies play their home opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, with both teams reeling from slow starts. The Diamondbacks fell to 1-5 following their 8-5 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Thursday when they allowed five runs in the eighth inning while the Rockies limp home 1-3 after they yielded four runs in the eighth of an 8-5 setback to the Marlins in Miami. "It's definitely not how you write it up," Michael Cuddyer, the 2013 National League batting champion who hit a two-run homer Thursday for Colorado, said of the slow start. "Now we've got to look at the Diamondbacks and win that series and get right back where we need to be."

The Rockies will celebrate their home opener with a different first baseman for the first time since 1998 as Justin Morneau was signed during the offseason to replace the retired Todd Helton. While it is doubtful the 2006 American League MVP will ever make Colorado fans forget Helton, Morneau has provided a good first impression as he is 5-for-13 in his first three games with the Rockies. Colorado's Juan Nicasio will get the opportunity to show off a split-finger off-speed pitch he developed in spring training and will oppose Randall Delgado, who grabbed the No. 5 spot in the rotation after staff ace Patrick Corbin went down with a season-ending arm injury.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Randall Delgado (0-0, 0.00) vs. Rockies RH Juan Nicasio (2013: 9-9, 5.14)

When Arizona signed Bronson Arroyo in February, it appeared Delgado was destined for the bullpen, but Corbin's injury changed everything. Delgado, a 24-year-old Panama native, recorded two outs in relief in one of the Australia games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in March, but has started 43 of his 46 major-league games. Delgado was 5-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 20 outings (19 starts) last season and was 1-0 with a 3.27 ERA in two consecutive starts against Colorado in September.

Nicasio enjoyed an offseason which didn't involve recovering from an injury for the first time in three years and a normal conditioning routine may have played a role in the 27-year-old recording a 2.86 ERA with 21 strikeouts in 22 exhibition innings. Nicasio, who is 1-1 with an 8.05 ERA in five starts against Arizona, went 4-4 with a 5.79 ERA in 14 outings at home last season. One of the setbacks occurred Sept. 22 when he yielded seven runs in 2 1/3 innings of a 13-9 loss to the Diamondbacks.

WALK-OFFS

1. Some four inches of snow fell in Denver on Thursday and Friday's forecast calls for partly cloudy skies and 51 degrees at game time. "It's hard to pitch when it's cold like that," Nicasio told reporters. "But it's bad for the hitter, too. He hates it when you throw inside."

2. Arizona 1B Paul Goldschmidt has hit in 25 straight games and is 11-for-26 with a homer, four doubles and three RBIs this season.

3. Helton, who this summer will become the first Rockies player to have his number (17) retired, began his 16-season run after Andres Galarraga started at first base in 1997.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 11, Rockies 10