What’s Brewing for Rockies in Milwaukee?

Rockies are 9-8 all-time in season openers, including 5-6 on the road. This is the first time the Rockies have opened a season against Milwaukee.

Rockies have opened the season against:

Arizona, 5 times (three road, two home).

St. Louis, 3 times (two road, one home).

New York Mets, Philadelphia and San Diego 2 times each (one home, one road).

Cincinnati, Atlanta and Houston.

The road opener at San Diego was actually in Hermosillo, Mexico in 1999.

Lucky 13

Todd Helton will be making his franchise record 13 consecutive Opening Day start.

Brad Hawpe would make his fifth in a row.

Troy Tulowitzki would make his fourth in a row.

Chris Iannetta would make his third in a row, fourth in five years.

Ian Stewart would make his second in a row.

For Starters

Ubaldo Jimenez makes his first start, becoming the 13th pitcher to start Opening Day for the Rockies.

Kevin Ritz (1996-97), Darryl Kile (1998-99), Mike Hampton (2001-02), Jason Jennings (2003, 2006) and Aaron Cook (2007, 2009) made two Opening Day starts each.

David Neid (1993), Armando Reynoso (1994), Billy Swift (1995), Pedro Astacio (2000), Shawn Estes (2004), Joe Kennedy (2005) and Kip Wells (2008) started one each.

Kile won both his starts.

Mike Hampton pitched 8 1/3 innings in 2001 against St. Louis, longest ever for a Rockies pitcher on Opening Day.

Rockies starter has had no decision last five years. Rockies starters are 5-5 I Opening Day assignments.

Winning Feeling

Rockies lead all-time seriesagaint Milwaukee, 46-38. It’s second best record for Rockies against an NL opponent, and one of five NL teams against which Rockies have an all-time winning record.

Rockies top five winning percentages against NL teams:

On the Road Again

Rockies are 17-25 all-time in Milwaukee.

They were 5-9 at County Stadium.

They are 12-16 at Miller Park, but did sweep three-game visit last year, which was final stop in that early June road trip that started the turn around. After winning final game in Houston, they swept four-game series at St. Louis for first time ever and then swept series in Milwaukee for first time ever.

Rockies have been swept in three-game series at Miller Park three times (2002, 2005, 2006)

Last time Rockies and Brewers met, Rockies swept three-game series at Coors Field Sept. 29-Oct. 1 last season, Rockies clinching post-season berth in final game of that series.

Record Book

– 19 runs scored by Rockies against Milwaukee Aug. 8, 2007 is tied for fourth most in franchise history in a game. Rockies have scored 20 runs in a game three times.

– 23 hits for Rockies in that game, tied for third most in franchised history, one shy of record.

– 9 hits in third inning of Sept. 30, 2001 game against Milwaukee equaled franchise record originally set against St. Louis in second inning of April 13, 2000 game.

– 153 pitches thrown by Pedro Astacio against Milwaukee June 6, 1999, most ever for Rockies pitcher.

Deep Thinking

– 4 home runs in the seventh inning on June 6, 1999 at Coors Field against Milwaukee, most in an inning in franchise history.

– 7 times Rockies have had back-to-back home runs against Milwaukee, but only once in Milwaukee – Aug. 24, 2001, Jose Ortiz and Larry Walker.

– 2 times a Rockies pitcher has homered against Milwaukee.

– Denny Neagle had a grand slam of Jimmy Haynes at Coors Field Sept. 29, 2001

– Brian Bohanon homered off Bill Pulsipher at Coors Field Sept. 10, 1999

– 16 of Rockies pitchers 33 home runs have come on the road, but none in Milwaukee.

– Last Rockies pitcher to hit a home run was Jason Jennings off Greg Maddux of Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 8, 2004

– 2 grand slams by Rockies against Milwuakee. Along with Neagle, Brad Hawpe had a slam off David Bush at Coors Field in first inning June 7, 2008.

– 4 pinch-hit home runs for Rockies against Milwaukee, including Chris Iannetta’s walkoff home run off David Weathers in 11th inning at Coors Field Sept. 29, 2009 last season.

– 3 home runs for Vinny Castilla against Milwaukee on June 5, 1999 at Coors Field, one of 11 three home run games for a Rockies player, only against Milwaukee.

Numbers Game

– 31-11 record for Rockies against NL Central last year, best ever against an NL division.

– 41-40 on road last year, first winning road record in franchise history.

– 92 regular-season wins, most in franchise history.

Ex-Patriots

LHP Jorge De La Rosa was with the Brewers during the 2004-05-06 seasons. He was 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA in 61 games, eight starts.

2B Craig Counsell of Milwaukee is only remaining member from Rockies original amateur draft, in 1992, out of Notre Dame. His roommate in minors was Rockies bullpen catcher Mark Strittmatter.

RH reliever LaTroy Hawkins of the Brewers was 2-5 with a 3.42 ERA in 62 games with Rockies in 2007.

Last Visit to Milwaukee

Rockies swept three-game series from Brewers June 9-11 last year, capping off an 8-3 road trip that began with three losses in Houston and ended with eight-game winning streak (one at Houston, four at St. Louis, three at Milwaukee). Rockies then returned home and swept three-game series from Seattle to equal a franchise-record 11-game winning streak. They also won 11 in a row Sept. 16-27, 2007.

Rockies outscored Brewers 12-8. Rockies won two one-run and one two-run decision.

Huston Street saved all three games. Rockies starter won all three games – Hammel, De La Rosa, Cook.

Rotation had 2.50 ERA in those three games, each starter working six innings and combining to allow five runs.

Brewers hit .214 in the three games, 21-for-98.

Rockies hit .263 in the three games, 25-for-95.