The Colorado Rockies have found that their 42nd win is quite elusive as offensive rallies have fallen short against teh Miami Marlins in the first two games of the series. Walks by the pitching staff spelled doom on Wednesday night, leaving the Rockies to hope for clearer skies in the series finale.
The Rockies at least have some confidence on the mound with Tanner Gordon (6-6, 6.14 ERA) making the start. Gordon rebounded nicely in his previous start, limiting the San Diego Padres to one run on two
hits over six innings in the Rockies’ first win at Petco Park in a long while. His command continues to be on point, pounding the zone and generating plenty of swing and misses. Over his last four starts, he has struck out 28 batters in 21 2/3 innings of work. In two of his previous three starts, Gordon has tallied nine punchouts. Gordon has been the Rockies’ best starter over the last month by far, but the Marlins feature a lineup with the fourth fewest strikeouts in baseball, meaning he is going to have to make sure he gets his pitches in a spot where, if they are hit, it will result in a harmless out.
The Marlins will counter with Sandy Alcantara (9-12, 5.53 ERA). While 2025 hasn’t been the dominant return to the mound that the former Cy Young winner hoped for, he’s been able to stay healthy under the first-season workload coming off Tommy John surgery. Things have been a little more inconsistent for Alcantara with his results, but he’s gone through stretches where he looks like the dominant pitcher that posted an 8.0 bWAR season in 2022. August was his best month so far as he posted a 3.69 ERA in 39 innings over six starts. In two starts this month he has allowed six runs on 11 hits over 13 innings of work. What’s helped is his ability to work deeper into games. Since June 3, Alcantara has completed fewer than six innings in a start just four times. He typically doesn’t walk many and has still shown off his strikeout stuff. The thing that has hurt him the most, if at all, has been the home run.
First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.tv
Radio: KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM; KNRV 1150 (Spanish)
Lineups:
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