The Colorado Rockies took a big step toward winning their first home series of the season on Friday, and they can complete the mission Saturday night against the Minnesota Twins.
Colorado won the opener of the three-game set, 6-4, and will go for its second straight win with Antonio Senzatela (3-13, 6.60 ERA) on the mound. Minnesota has yet to announce a starter for Saturday night.
One possibility is Zebby Matthews, who has been on the injured list with a strained right shoulder since June 5. Matthews was with the team in Denver on Friday night, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and manager Rocco Baldelli addressed the righty as an option for the second game.
“There’s a chance we see him here,” Baldelli said. “If everything goes smoothly for him, there’s a chance we’ll see him here, yeah.”
Matthews (1-1, 5.21), who has never faced the Rockies, has started just three games in interleague play and is 0-2.
The Twins fell behind quickly Friday night and nearly rallied from five runs down. They had the tying run on base in the ninth inning but Willi Castro, who hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, struck out to end the game.
Minnesota still is in the hunt for one of the three wild-card spots but trails Detroit by 11 1/2 games in the American League Central.
Unlike at the beginning of the season, Colorado has started the second half with a victory and gained some valuable confidence. The Rockies are trying to avoid setting the modern era record for losses in a season, which is 121 set by the Chicago White Sox last year.
The Rockies entered the second half needing to go 20-46 the rest of the way to finish with 42 wins — and Friday night was a good start.
“It’s huge,” said Colorado’s Jordan Beck, who was a double shy of hitting for the cycle on Friday night. “We had a meeting (Friday) just talking about what we needed to do in the second half to turn it around. We can forget the first half and got a fresh start, compete and have some fun.
“We have to try to win every inning and play good defense and pitch well.”
The good pitching starts with Senzatela, whose 13 losses led the majors at the break and was the most by a Colorado pitcher in franchise history at that point of the season.
His only career start against the Twins was June 25, 2022, when he allowed four runs in five innings and took the loss in a 6-0 Minnesota victory.
Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is hoping for a healthier second half of the season. Injuries limited him to 32 of 96 games in the first half, but he was activated off the injured list before Friday’s game and was 1-for-4 in his return to the lineup.
“It’s a fresh start — obviously starting from zero and all that kind of stuff,” Tovar said through interpreter Edwin Perez. “This could be a good second half if we all do our little pieces.
–Field Level Media
