Right-hander Chris Schwinden makes his first start of 2012 for the New York Mets tonight, when they open a three-game series with the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.
Schwinden gets the call in place of regular rotation member Mike Pelfrey, who was diagnosed with a partial ligament tear in his right elbow and will likely undergo reconstructive surgery that will cost him the remainder of 2012.
Schwinden had been pitching at Triple-A Buffalo, where he was 2-2 in four starts with a 2.05 earned run average in 22 innings. He made four starts with the Mets in 2011 and posted a 4.71 ERA in 21 innings.
He has never faced the Rockies.
Colorado goes with 23-year-old lefty Drew Pomeranz, who makes his seventh major-league start.
The Tennessee native was the fifth overall pick of the 2010 draft by the Cleveland Indians and came to Colorado as the player to be named in the trade that sent former ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians on July 30, 2011.
He started four games for the Rockies after the deal and was 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in 18 1/3 innings, then opened this season with a 5-2 home loss to Arizona on April 15.
He got a no-decision in Colorado's 9-4 loss at Milwaukee six days later and has allowed 11 hits and seven runs in 9 1/3 innings overall.
On Thursday in New York, Kirk Nieuwenhuis hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the Mets over the Miami Marlins, 3-2.
Two batters prior to Nieuwenhuis' single, Justin Turner tied the game following a 13-pitch walk during which he fouled off eight pitches.
Ramon Ramirez (2-1) picked up the win after working a scoreless eighth and ninth for the Mets, who swept the three-game set.
On Wednesday in Pittsburgh, Charlie Morton tossed seven solid frames, while Garrett Jones had three hits, including a two-run home run, as the Pirates defeated the Rockies, 5-1, in the second game of a doubleheader.
Ramon Hernandez belted a solo homer to account for Colorado's lone run, while Jhoulys Chacin (0-2) gave up five runs on eight hits and two walks.
The Rockies took the twinbill opener, 2-1.
Colorado was 5-2 against the Mets last season.
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