Diamondbacks 10 - 5 Rockies
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Diamondbacks-Rockies Preview

May 9, 2016 - 2:56 AM The Colorado Rockies broke out the lumber in a pair of early-season visits to Arizona, so one could imagine what's in store at hitter-friendly Coors Field.

The Rockies hope to pick up from a successful road trip with their sixth win in seven meetings against the visiting Diamondbacks on Monday night.

Colorado (15-16) totaled 32 hits and 20 runs in a season-opening series win at Arizona (15-18) from April 4-6 and then swept the Diamondbacks with the same numbers April 29-May 1. The Rockies hit 10 homers in the first series and six in the second.

The latest series in Arizona opened Colorado's season-high 10-game trip that included sets against NL West foes San Diego and San Francisco. The Rockies dropped four of their next six games but closed it with Sunday's 2-0 win over the Giants.

Nolan Arenado fell a home run shy of the cycle with his 3-for-4 day, helping Colorado earn its first winning trip of 10 games or more since 2009.

"A really good road trip," manager Walt Weiss said. "The fact that all 10 games (were) in the division and to come out with a winning record, it's a big step."

After scoring seven runs in their last three road games, the Rockies will try to improve on their MLB-leading 5.75 average at home.

Arenado is hitting .396 over his last dozen games with three doubles, a triple, five homers and 12 RBIs. His on-base-plus-slugging mark is a whopping 1.275 in that span, and he has extended his MLB-leading home run total to 12.

The power-hitting third baseman and Colorado's potent lineup will face an unfamiliar Arizona pitcher in Archie Bradley, who earned a spot start after Rubby De La Rosa's turn in the rotation was pushed to Tuesday.

Manager Chip Hale said De La Rosa is "100 percent, better than ever."

Bradley (0-0, 10.38 ERA) made his ninth big-league start April 18, surrendering five runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings of a 9-7 win at San Francisco.

The right-hander went 2-3 with a 5.80 ERA in eight 2015 starts, and his lone outing against the Rockies was brief. After giving up two hits and a run in 1 1/3 innings, Bradley was hit in the face by a Carlos Gonzalez line drive and exited.

While Arizona is going with a new arm in this matchup, Colorado will counter with Tyler Chatwood, who has already faced the Diamondbacks twice.

Chatwood (4-2, 2.15) has given up two runs - one earned - in 12 2/3 innings in two victories in this series, moving his career ERA as a starter against Arizona to 2.57.

The right-hander enters the series opener riding scoreless streaks of 16 1/3 innings overall and 24 2/3 on the road. Chatwood's ERA jumps from 0.33 in four road starts to 7.20 at Coors Field.

Chatwood will face an Arizona lineup that totaled 29 hits and 16 runs in a sweep at Atlanta, moving to 3-3 on a nine-game trip.

In Sunday's 5-3 win over the Braves, Chris Herrmann became the first player to hit two home runs in a game on 0-2 counts since Houston's Lance Berkman on July 9, 2000.

Herrmann, who also became the first Colorado player in that category, has four homers in 42 at-bats and seems to have bought himself some playing time. He typically backs up catcher Welington Castillo.

"He's going to earn himself a little more playing time when he's not catching, possibly in the outfield or first base," Hale said. "He can play a lot of positions."






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