(SportsNetwork.com) - The Colorado Rockies are back in the friendly confines of Coors Field Tuesday night to open a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Colorado lost the final four games of its recent nine-game road swing, which produced only two wins against seven losses. As a result, the Rockies saw their three-game deficit in the NL West swell to 8 1/2 games, while also falling to .500 for the first time since April 20.
"This definitely was one of the toughest parts of the schedule," left fielder Carlos Gonzalez said. "We're really happy to go home and just feel rested. All this stuff, rain delays, a lot of late-night sleep, it's tough on the body. But we can't complain. We just have to play baseball. But it will be a good thing to go home for some home cookin'."
Most recently, the Rockies were on the wrong end of a 6-4 final at Cleveland on Sunday. Adam Ottavino served up a walkoff homer to Michael Bourn while Colorado's offense struck out 12 times for the game (and 38 for the series).
Tuesday's game kicks off a 10-game homestand for the Rockies, who are 16-7 at home this season but just 12-21 elsewhere.
"We'll get on a plane, go home, and start a winning streak again," manager Walt Weiss said. "It will be nice to go home, but we need to play well whether we're there or on the road."
Arizona also had Monday off following three straight losses to the Cincinnati Reds.
On Sunday, four different Reds players hit solo home runs as the D'backs lost, 4-3. Starter Wade Miley struck out nine and walked nobody over six solid innings for the tough-luck loss. Outfielder David Peralta had two hits in his big league debut. Peralta was called up from Double-A Mobile after A.J. Pollock broke his right hand.
Chase Anderson gets the start for Arizona. He is the first pitcher in club history to win his first three starts, although run support has certainly been a big factor. Anderson gave up just one run in his debut against the White Sox, but has since given up nine runs (six earned) over his last two outings.
For Colorado, Jorge De La Rosa is looking to keep his momentum going. He has gone 6-0 with a 1.80 ERA over his last seven starts after going 0-3 with a 7.58 ERA in his first three. Most recently, the left-hander shook off a bruised middle finger on his pitching hand to throw six innings of one-run ball at Philadelphia.
The Rockies have won four of six head-to-head meetings this season with the Diamondbacks.
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