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Three weeks into the 2008 season, neither the Colorado Rockies nor the Philadelphia Phillies have gotten off to stellar starts. Despite even worse starts last season, they both managed to make the postseason.
The Rockies look to move above .500 and the Phillies try to reach the break-even mark Tuesday when they open a two-game playoff rematch at Coors Field.
Colorado (9-9) swept Philadelphia (9-10) in three games in last season’s NL division series before going on to sweep Arizona in the league championship series.
Both the Rockies and Phillies needed to finish the 2007 regular season with strong stretch runs just to make the playoffs. Colorado finished last April with a 10-16 record, while Philadelphia opened the 2007 season 3-10.
The defending NL East champion Phillies avoided a three-game sweep at home Sunday, beating the New York Mets 5-4.
Philadelphia had three homers - two by Chase Utley - to increase its major league-leading home run total to 30.
Utley has homered in a career-high four straight games, while going 8-for-16 with five home runs and eight RBIs. The two-time All-Star second baseman is batting .391 (18-for-46) with a homer, six RBIs and 15 runs scored during an 11-game regular-season hitting streak against the Rockies, but went just 2-for-11 against them in the playoffs.
Utley has helped pick up the offensive slack without reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of a sprained left ankle.
“It has gotten a lot better, but it isn’t getting better from this point,” said Rollins, who has already missed seven games.
Colorado, last season’s NL wild-card representative, lost 6-4 to Houston on Sunday as its four-game winning streak was snapped. The Rockies, though, don’t appear worried.
“We’re going good,” third baseman Garrett Atkins, who homered Sunday, told the team’s official Web site. “We’re going home for a quick homestand, and hopefully continue to swing the bats.”
Atkins is 10-for-25 (.400) with two home runs and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
Mark Redman (2-1, 4.60 ERA) takes the ball for the Rockies Monday looking to win his third straight start.
After allowing five runs over 5 2-3 innings in an 8-1 loss to Arizona on April 4, Redman has yielded five total runs and 10 hits in 10 innings to win his last two starts. The left-hander gave up two runs and three hits in five innings of a 10-2 win over San Diego on Wednesday.
Redman is 4-2 with a 3.96 ERA in seven games - six starts - lifetime versus Philadelphia.
The Phillies counter with Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 4.40).
Kendrick gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings on Wednesday against Houston, but took a tough-luck 2-1 loss. The 23-year-old right-hander’s performance was much better than his previous outing, when he gave up seven runs - one earned - and a career-high six walks in 2 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the Mets on April 9.
Kendrick made two regular-season starts against Colorado last season as a rookie, going 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA. He also started Game 2 in the NLDS, and was knocked around for five runs and five hits in 3 2-3 innings of a 10-5 loss.
The Rockies look to move above .500 and the Phillies try to reach the break-even mark Tuesday when they open a two-game playoff rematch at Coors Field.
Colorado (9-9) swept Philadelphia (9-10) in three games in last season’s NL division series before going on to sweep Arizona in the league championship series.
Both the Rockies and Phillies needed to finish the 2007 regular season with strong stretch runs just to make the playoffs. Colorado finished last April with a 10-16 record, while Philadelphia opened the 2007 season 3-10.
The defending NL East champion Phillies avoided a three-game sweep at home Sunday, beating the New York Mets 5-4.
Philadelphia had three homers - two by Chase Utley - to increase its major league-leading home run total to 30.
Utley has homered in a career-high four straight games, while going 8-for-16 with five home runs and eight RBIs. The two-time All-Star second baseman is batting .391 (18-for-46) with a homer, six RBIs and 15 runs scored during an 11-game regular-season hitting streak against the Rockies, but went just 2-for-11 against them in the playoffs.
Utley has helped pick up the offensive slack without reigning NL MVP Jimmy Rollins, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday because of a sprained left ankle.
“It has gotten a lot better, but it isn’t getting better from this point,” said Rollins, who has already missed seven games.
Colorado, last season’s NL wild-card representative, lost 6-4 to Houston on Sunday as its four-game winning streak was snapped. The Rockies, though, don’t appear worried.
“We’re going good,” third baseman Garrett Atkins, who homered Sunday, told the team’s official Web site. “We’re going home for a quick homestand, and hopefully continue to swing the bats.”
Atkins is 10-for-25 (.400) with two home runs and six RBIs during a five-game hitting streak.
Mark Redman (2-1, 4.60 ERA) takes the ball for the Rockies Monday looking to win his third straight start.
After allowing five runs over 5 2-3 innings in an 8-1 loss to Arizona on April 4, Redman has yielded five total runs and 10 hits in 10 innings to win his last two starts. The left-hander gave up two runs and three hits in five innings of a 10-2 win over San Diego on Wednesday.
Redman is 4-2 with a 3.96 ERA in seven games - six starts - lifetime versus Philadelphia.
The Phillies counter with Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 4.40).
Kendrick gave up two runs and four hits in seven innings on Wednesday against Houston, but took a tough-luck 2-1 loss. The 23-year-old right-hander’s performance was much better than his previous outing, when he gave up seven runs - one earned - and a career-high six walks in 2 1-3 innings of an 8-2 loss to the Mets on April 9.
Kendrick made two regular-season starts against Colorado last season as a rookie, going 0-1 with a 7.00 ERA. He also started Game 2 in the NLDS, and was knocked around for five runs and five hits in 3 2-3 innings of a 10-5 loss.
