Colorado Rockies vs. Boston Red Sox Tid Bits

Colorado Rockies vs. Boston Red Sox

June 22-24, at Coors Field

They Are Back

Sox are making their first appearance at Coors Field since the 2007 season ended with Sox completing sweep of Rockies in the World Series by winning Games 3 and 4 at Coors Field. That was the Rockies first World Series appearance. It ended with the Red Sox seventh world championship.

There are 10 players on Red Sox and nine on the Rockies who appeared in that World Series and are still on the active rosters.

Jon Lester won Game 4, working 5 2/3 shutout innings. Ubaldo Jimenez lost Game 1, allowing two runs in 4 2/3 innings. Jeff Francis lost Game 2, allowing six runs in four innings. Aaron Cook was the loser in Game 4, allowing three runs in six innings.

Boston

RHPs Manny Delcarmen and Jonathan Papelbon, LHPs Hideki Okajima, and Jon Lester, OF J.D. Drew, 3B Mike Lowell, 1B/3B Kevin Youklis, DH David Ortiz, 2B Dustin Pedroia and C Jason Varitek.

Colorado

RHPs Aaron Cook, Ubaldo Jimenez and Manuel Corpas, LHPS Jeff Francis and Franklin Morales, OFs Brad Hawpe, Seth Smith and Ryan Spilborghs and 1B Todd Helton.

Regular Stuff

Rockies are 5-4 all-time against Boston in the regular season. Rockies won 2 of 3 from Red Sox at Fenway Park in 2007 and also at Coors Field in 2004. Rockies lost two of three to Red Sox at Fenway Park in 2002. Jeff Francis pitched five shutout innings on June 14, 2007 to beat Boston, and hand Josh Beckett his first loss of the season.

RED SOX HOT

Sox have best record in majors since April 20, 36-19. They have been especially hot lately. They have a six-game winning streak, sweeping three-game series with NL West members Arizona and Los Angeles. It doesn’t hurt that Red Sox have played more home games (41) than any other team. They have won 12 of their last 14 at Fenway7, where they have hit .329 in those games with 94 runs scored and 20 home runs. The comforts of home, however, are disappearing. When the Red Sox arrive at Coors Field on Tuesday night they will be embarking on a stretch in which 21 of the next 31 games will be on the road.

ROTATION ON A ROLL

The rotation is the only one in baseball featuring three pitchers with eight or more victories – Jon Lester, John Lackey and Clay Buchholz. Rotation is 14-3 with a 3.33 ERA in last 21 games, starting pitcher having worked six innings or more in 20 of those games.

SOX SORE SPOTS

Red Sox disabled list includes RHPs Josh Beckett (lower back strain) and Daisuke Matsuzaka
(forearm strain), and OFs Jacoby Ellsbury (ribs) and Jeremy Hermida (ribs). Matsuzaka will come off the disabled list to start Thursday at Coors Field.

FAIRY TALES CAN COME TRUE

Daniel Nava is a feel good story. The first pitch of his major league career (Saturday, June 19) vs. Joe Blanton of Philadelphia was hit for a grand slam. Nava was humbled in his third game when he struck out three times, but for the most part has held his own. He is 10-for-027 with five doubles, the grand slam and seven RBI in eight games. He was hitting ,.294 with 58 hits, 13 doubles, eight home runs and 38 RBI at Triple-A when he was called up to replace Jeremy Hermida, who fractured five ribs. Nava, 27, tried to walk-on at Santa Clara and wound up the equipment manager his freshman year the next year he went to College of San Mateo to play, and then went back to Santa Clara. He went undrafted and the Blue Jays failed to sign him after a workout. He went to the independent Golden League in 2007 where he was the MVP for the Chico Outlaws. The Red Sox signed him for a dollar.

Stats Pack

Red Sox lead majors with 390 runs scored while Rockies rank 16th with 311.

Red Sox are second in majors with 93 home runs while Rockies are tied for ninth with 68.

Red Sox have a .353 on-base percentage, second in majors while Rockies are 14th at .330.

Red Sox have struck out 474 times, 17th in majors, Rockies are sixth with 516.

Rockies ERA is 3.64, fifth in majors while Red Sox have a 4.322 ERA, 19th in majors.

Red Sox have allowed .248 averages, eighth in majors, while Rockies have allowed .251, 12th.

Rockies have walked 232, 12th fewest in majors, while Red Sox have walked 262, 25th fewest in majors.

Familiar Faces

Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa, who begins a rehab assignment on Wednesday, was with the Red Sox organization after he was purchased from Monterrey of the Mexican League on Feb. 22, 2001. Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor was with the Red Sox in 1986, the first of three consecutive years he played in the World Series with three different teams. He was with Minnesota in 1987 and Oakland in 1988. Rockies RH reliever Rafael Betancourt was originally signed by Boston as an infielder, and was converted by the Red Sox to a pitcher after the 1996 season. Signed out of Venezuela on June 9, 1993, Betancourt played 79 minor league games at shortstop, 36 at second base and 27 at third base, hitting .195 with three home runs and 36 RBI before being converted.

Red Sox reliever Ramon Ramirez was with the Rockies from midway in 2005 through 2007. He came from the Yankees as part of the package for Shawn Chacon.

Red Sox outfielder Darnell McDonald was one of the top high school athletes in Colorado history. He had football offers out of high school but signed as the No. 1 pick of Baltimore, 26th player taken overall, in 1997. He is getting his biggest big-league opportunity this year. He has appeared in 52 games since being called up April 20 with Jacoby Ellsbury went on the disabled list. While McDonald has struck out 40 times in 148 at-bats, he is hitting .270 with 3 HR and 17 RBI. He appeared in 17 games with Baltimore in 2004, 4 games with Minnesota in 2007, and 47 games with Cincinnati in 2009 when he was in the Opening Day lineup. He has played in 1,338 minor league games in his career.

FYI

Red Sox Nation does extend into Colorado. Radio station KVRH in Salida is listed as part of the Red Sox radio network.