NewsBackup backstops doing well for Rox
Colorado (24-32) at St. Louis (31-26), 12:15 p.m. MT
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
06/07/09 8:21 PM ET
ST. LOUIS -- For much of the winter, fans are inundated with Minor League signings or transactions involving unfamiliar names. But unfamiliar doesn't equal unimportant.The Rockies' current roster offers two prime examples. After losing catcher Chris Iannetta to a hamstring injury last month and seeing backup catcher Yorvit Torrealba leave the team last week for family reasons, the team is going with Paul Phillips and Edwin Bellorin.
They've shared the catching duty during the Rockies' season-best four-game win streak -- which they hope to extend Wednesday afternoon against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Phillips went 4-for-5 with a home run and three RBIs in Sunday afternoon's 7-2 victory, and is hitting .364 (8-for-22) with four RBIs in seven games, including six starts. Bellorin joined the team this week and is hitting .250 (2-for-8).
Tracy said the Rockies gave consideration this spring to a scenario under which Iannetta and Torrealba weren't available.
"They're very intuitive, in tune to what's going on," Tracy said. "And you can tell that they take pride that the guy stand them in front of him and give him the best chance to succeed in a given day."
Pitching matchup
COL: RHP Jason Marquis (7-4, 4.10 ERA)
Marquis has to be happy not to be facing the Astros. In his start on Wednesday night, he gave up three first-inning runs, mostly on soft hits, settled down for five scoreless innings, then gave up two in the seventh. One run in the seventh was on a leadoff homer by Hunter Pence, who dominates Marquis (11-for-22). But the homer was a hanging slider that any good hitter should have a good chance at, and that's the kind of pitch Marquis was kicking himself for throwing. A onetime Cardinal, Marquis is 4-2 with a 3.99 ERA in eight games against the Cards but gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings while losing his lone start against them last year.
This would be Kyle Lohse's turn in the rotation, but Lohse was placed on the disabled list after he aggravated a right forearm injury on Wednesday night. Thompson will be almost exactly on turn, with five days' rest after he filled in for Joel Pineiro, who had back spasms. The Cardinals are 18-7 when Thompson starts a game. Tidbits
The Rockies' Ian Stewart, who started at third base on Sunday and went 2-for-5, is 7-for-13 with three home runs, two doubles and nine RBIs through the first three games of the series with the Cardinals. ... The four hits by Phillips marked a career high. His last three-hit game was Sept. 25, 2005 for the Royals against the Indians. ... The Rockies have won their last five meetings with the Cards. Tickets
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• Tuesday: Rockies (Jason Hammel, 2-3, 4.50) at Brewers (Braden Looper, 5-3, 4.65), 6:05 p.m. MT
• Wednesday: Rockies (Jorge De La Rosa, 1-6, 5.28) at Brewers (Yovani Gallardo, 6-2, 2.84), 6:05 p.m. MT
• Thursday: Rockies (Aaron Cook, 4-3, 4.50) at Brewers (TBD), 12:05 p.m. MT
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
