The Colorado Rockies haven’t had the road trip they hoped for so far, but things are much better for them away from Denver in 2022 than they were in 2021.
An 8-5 loss to the host Stan Francisco Giants on Monday night dropped Colorado’s road record to 5-8. Considering last season the Rockies managed just five wins in their first 35 away contests, this year’s mark doesn’t seem so bad.
Colorado can head home this weekend close to even on the road if it can capture the last two games of the series against the Giants, starting with a Tuesday night matchup.
The Rockies will send right-hander Antonio Senzatela (2-1, 3.75 ERA) to face San Francisco left-hander Alex Wood (2-2, 4.38).
Senzatela is 5-1 with a 4.24 ERA in 10 career outings, including eight starts, against the Giants.
Colorado’s historic woes away from Coors Field have been well-documented. Rarely has the team finished a season with a winning road record.
Newcomer Jose Iglesias has helped this season by producing a .444 average away from home. Iglesias carries a .329 average into Tuesday after going 3-for-4 on Monday in the Rockies’ loss to the Giants. The 32-year-old former All-Star is trying to show his younger teammates the right way to play.
“You’re not going to score many runs every night,” Iglesias said. “You’ve got to pay attention to details — like 90 feet, read the ball in the dirt, put the ball in play, make a good defensive play. So many details in the game that you’ve got to pay attention to, and this team is creating awareness. That’s what it takes to win games.”
Wood has struggled in his past two outings, losing 14-4 to the Washington Nationals on April 29 and 9-1 to his former team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, on Wednesday. The game against the Dodgers marked the first time he has recorded an out beyond the fifth inning this year — and he was gone after 5 1/3 innings that night.
Wood will try to improve on mediocre career results vs. the Rockies. In 19 games (16 starts) against Colorado, he is 6-3 with a 5.67 ERA.
The Giants won 107 games last season, a total that led the majors, but like many teams they have struggled to find any offensive rhythm this season. There are signs they are breaking out of that slump, however.
After managing just five runs in the previous four games, San Francisco has busted out the bats during its current three-game winning streak.
The Giants have scored 25 runs in the three victories — including a 13-run outburst against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday — and they bashed six home runs in that span.
Utility man Mauricio Dubon has played a key role the past three games. While starting at shortstop, second base and center field, he went 6-for-12 with two homers and five RBIS.
“I don’t know where we’d be without him,” San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler said. “For the last couple of games, he’s been excellent.”
–Field Level Media
