Game #25 Preview: 5/6, Arizona Diamondbacks @ Colorado Rockies

Josh Collmenter RHP, 2-3, 2.76

Tyler Matzek LHP, 2-0, 2.70

Ender Inciarte - LF	Charlie Blackmon - CF
Mark Trumbo - RF	Corey Dickerson - LF
Paul Goldschmidt - 1B	Troy Tulowitzki - SS
A.J. Pollock - CF	Justin Morneau - 1B
Yasmany Tomas - 3B	Nolan Arenado - 3B
Aaron Hill - 2B	Carlos Gonzalez - RF
Jordan Pacheco - C	Nick Hundley - C
Nick Ahmed - SS	DJ LeMahieu - 2B
Josh Collmenter - RHP	Tyler Matzek - LHP

Before I write anything, let me just check the weather in Denver. For, having slaved away over researching and finely crafting every word of these previews for the past two days, only for them to be discarded like rainwater into the gutters of downtown Denver... Hey, it's actually looking not too bad today: a bit overcast, but in comparison to the last couple of days, it's significantly better.  However, the forecast says "Occasional thunderstorms likely to begin Wednesday at 3:00 pm," so we'll see what that entails, and whether it runs interference. Looks to me like the evening game is more likely to hit problems.

For the opener, the Diamondbacks have gone with the same line-up they had yesterday... And on Monday. The Rockies, however, have shuffled their deck somewhat, for no readily apparent reason: Morneau and Arenado have swapped spots in the line-up, and their pitcher has gone back to hitting 9th. To no great surprise, Robbie Ray will be the 26th player added to the roster for the double-header, but this only pushed the problem back to Sunday, as we'll need another starter for that game against the Padres, unless we want to throw Collmenter out there on short rest? If any of our starters could do it, Josh probably could!

It seems like an eternity since the last time we actually played baseball, not helped by the team's miserable performance over the weekend in Los Angeles, which barely counted as "baseball". It has now been a week since the Diamondbacks last won, and that was the last time we played Colorado. We cracked them 9-1 on that day, and I'm all in favor of a double-header sweep today, putting our season back in the right direction. Put your seat-backs into the reclined position, load up on unhealthy food items, and settle down for the first part of a full day of Diamondbacks baseball!

Game notes

• Today marks the 17th doubleheader in club history. Arizona is 5-3 all-time in these, with eight having been split.
• It's the third such at Coors Field. We lost a twinbill on Sept. 23, 2004 (7-1, and 2-1 in 10 innings) but split a doubleheader the last time, on May 24, 2011 (Lost 12-4 and won 5-2).
• It has been a long time since we swept a double-header on the road. You have to go back close to nine years, in fact: June 3, 2006 in Atlanta. However, we haven't been swept on the road for nearly as long: September 2 that same year, in Washington.
• Most hits in a Doubleheader: 7 by Devon White on April 16, 1998 @ Cardinals
  Most RBI in a Doubleheader: 8 by Luis Gonzalez on Sept. 23, 2000 @ Giants
  HR in both: Matt Williams on April 16, 1998 @ Cardinals; Gonzalez on Sept. 23, 2000 @ Giants
  Saves in both: J.J. Putz on Aug. 22, 2012 vs. Marlins.