• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Rockies shoot for another win over Mets

May 2, 2014 - 2:34 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Colorado Rockies are likely to be without outfielder Carlos Gonzalez when they resume a four-game series on Friday night with the New York Mets.

Gonzalez hit his sixth home run of the season in Thursday's 7-4 victory, but exited in the fourth inning with a left index finger contusion. He is day-to- day.

Gonzalez is hitting just .245 on the season and has driven in 19 runs for a Rockies offense that is already without Michael Cuddyer due to a strained left hamstring.

However, third baseman Nolan Arenado has stepped up and brings a 21-game hitting streak into tonight's game. He is batting .357 over a streak that is tied with Larry walker for the fourth longest in club history.

Juan Nicasio pitched seven innings and also drove in three runs at the plate last night to help Colorado to its fourth victory in five games.

"This is a big step for him," said Colorado manager Walt Weiss about Nicasio. "He's been good early so far and hopefully he can get on a roll."

Bartolo Colon was tagged for all seven runs on nine hits in just 4 2/3 innings for the Mets, who had won five of six coming into the contest.

"He did not have the usual command that he has," said New York manager Terry Collins about Colon. "He'd try to come in and throw it away, he'd try to throw it away and it would come up and in."

Travis d'Arnaud hit a three-run home run and Juan Lagares drove in the other run in the loss.

New York will look to rebound against Jorge De La Rosa, who has posted back- to-back wins since losing his first three decisions of the season.

The 33-year-old lefty has allowed just one run in each victory, including a 6-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday. He yielded four hits and two walks over a season-high seven innings.

"Jorge really stepped up today," praised Rockies manager Walt Weiss. "He's pitching like he did a year ago. He was efficient."

De La Rosa is 2-3 with a 5.23 earned run average on the season and 4-1 lifetime versus the Mets with a 4.55 ERA in 10 games, four of those starts.

Young righty Zack Wheeler will start for the Mets and is coming off a strong outing in which he struck out a season-high 10 batters in a no-decision versus Miami on Friday. Wheeler yielded one run over six innings and lowered his season ERA to 3.99 to go along with his 1-2 record.

The 23-year-old has never faced the Rockies.

Though the Mets swept the Rockies in three games at home last season, they lost three of four in Colorado.