Tampa Bay @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( May 3, 2013 ) Tampa Bay 7, Colorado 4

Pitching against the Colorado Rockies at hitter-friendly Coors Field on Saturday will be hard enough for the Tampa Bay Rays' David Price, so another run-in with an umpire probably would not help. Price is coming off his first victory of the season - 8-3 over the White Sox at Chicago on Sunday, but it was overshadowed by an incident with home plate umpire Tom Hallion. Both were fined - a rarity for an umpire - after Price said Hallion swore at him, while Hallion called Price a liar.

Tampa Bay will try to continue the momentum of Friday's 7-4 victory over Colorado in 10 innings as Evan Longoria drove in the go-ahead run and Kelly Johnson added a two-run homer. The Rockies have lost eight of their last 12 after a club-record 13-4 start and some of their star players are already banged up. Troy Tulowitzki did not start Friday after complaining of leg soreness and Dexter Fowler left the game with right hip flexor soreness and is listed as day-to-day.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Tampa Bay), ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rays LH David Price (1-2, 5.21 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jon Garland (2-2, 4.65)

Price, the reigning American League Cy Young Award winner, broke into the win column in his sixth start after yielding three runs and striking out nine in seven innings. While the 27-year-old Nashville, Tenn., native has struck out 35 in 38 innings, his 43 hits allowed has helped lead to a WHIP of 1.37 - well above his 1.18 career number. Price has faced the Rockies once and allowed five runs and 10 hits in seven innings in a 5-3 loss at Coors Field in 2009.

Garland has lost his last two starts despite pitching well enough to win in his last outing as he yielded four runs (three earned) in six innings in 4-2 loss at Arizona on Sunday. Garland's sinker is working well with 53 ground-ball outs compared to 20 flyouts, including 13-to-1 on Sunday. The 33-year-old Garland is 5-2 with a 3.27 ERA in 11 starts against Tampa Bay, but hasn't faced them since 2008. Luke Scott is 6-for-13 with two homers while James Loney is 3-for-14 against him.

WALK-OFFS

1. Tulowitzki, who missed two games earlier this week with a shoulder injury, pinch hit Friday and was walked intentionally with runners on first and third and one out in the eighth inning. He was removed for a pinch runner.

2. Tampa Bay RHP Kyle Farnsworth, who earned the victory by pitching a scoreless ninth inning Friday, has allowed 94 home runs as a reliever - most by an active pitcher.

3. Colorado's bullpen had allowed only three unearned runs in 33 2/3 innings over the previous eight games prior to yielding three runs Friday.

PREDICTION: Rays 3, Rockies 2