Reds, Rockies conclude set at Coors Field

Rookie left-hander Drew Pomeranz makes his major-league game weekend series at Coors Field.

A 6-foot-5, 230-pound native of Memphis, Tenn., Pomeranz was the fifth overall pick of the Cleveland Indians in the 2010 draft and came to Colorado as part of the non-waiver trade deadline deal that sent Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez to the American League.

Pomeranz underwent an emergency appendectomy on Aug. 20 and was thought to be lost for the season, but he recovered quickly and will make his first appearance above Double-A against the Reds.

The 22-year-old made 20 starts in the minors this season for affiliates of the Indians and Rockies and combined to go 4-3 with a 1.78 earned run average in 101 innings, while allowing only 68 hits and striking out 119.

In five Double-A starts, he's pitched 24 innings, allowed 12 hits and struck out 24.

On Saturday, Jason Giambi hit a two-run homer and drove in three as Colorado downed Cincinnati, 12-7. Jordan Pacheco hit a solo shot and also knocked in three runs for the Rockies, who won for just the fourth time in 11 games.

Dexter Fowler added a two-run blast and Troy Tulowitzki posted two RBI and scored twice to ensure that Alex White (2-1) earned the win despite allowing eight hits and seven runs -- six earned -- over five innings.

Chris Heisey recorded three hits and went deep twice, while Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Juan Francisco also homered for the Reds, who have lost eight of their past 12 games.

Matt Maloney (0-2) was charged in the loss for one earned run on three hits in two relief frames. Starter Bronson Arroyo recorded only three outs, giving up seven hits and six runs total.

For the Reds, former ace Edinson Volquez returns to the rotation for the first time since a July 5 loss in St. Louis.

He was touched for seven runs on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-1 loss and was demoted to Triple-A Louisville, where he went 4-2 with a 2.37 ERA over 13 starts, striking out 83 and walking 29.

Volquez won 17 games for Cincinnati after arriving from Texas in a trade for Josh Hamilton, but is just 13-9 in 37 subsequent starts over three seasons, with significant time lost due to injury and multiple stints in the minor leagues.

He is 1-1 in three career starts against the Rockies with a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings.