May 18, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Colorado Rockies left fielder David Dahl (26) hits a single during the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
While the Colorado Rockies are playing their best baseball of 2019, the Chicago Cubs need to keep one of their worst stretches of the season in the past.
In a rematch of last year’s NL wild-card game, the visiting Rockies aim for their first nine-game winning streak since 2010 on Tuesday night when they oppose the Cubs.
Colorado needed 13 innings to outlast Chicago 2-1 in the October wild-card game at Wrigley Field before getting swept by the Milwaukee Brewers last postseason.
While the Cubs looked like a playoff contender until losing eight of 10 prior to an 8-1 rout of the Los Angeles Angels on Monday, the Rockies have overcome a 3-12 start to win 28 of their past 43.
After completing a 9-1 homestand Sunday with a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, Colorado can win nine in a row for the first time since a 10-game run during September 2010.
Nolan Arenado homered for one of his two hits Sunday, and is batting .481 (25-for-52) with 17 RBIs during a 13-game hitting streak. Teammate David Dahl has hit .457 (21-for-46) over his past 12 games, and Trevor Story is 11-for-18 (.611) with a seven-RBI game in his past four contests.
The Rockies have averaged 6.7 runs while going 21-13 since April 24.
“You hear me talk about having five, six, seven guys swinging well, and we have that right now,” manager Bud Black told the Rockies’ official website. “That’s why we’re scoring.”
Colorado has won three games against the Cubs, including the wild-card contest. However, the Rockies could be in for a stiff challenge against scheduled Chicago starter Kyle Hendricks (5-4, 3.09 ERA), who went 4-0 with a 1.81 ERA in six May starts.
The right-hander yielded a run on four hits and a walk while striking out seven in eight innings of a 2-1 win at Houston on Wednesday. Hendricks has allowed just five earned runs, fanned 32 and walked four over 35 innings while going 2-1 with a 1.29 ERA in five home starts.
“Just keep it simple, make good pitches,” Hendricks told the Cubs’ official website. “That’s where I’ve got to stay going forward.”
Hendricks, who took the loss in a relief role against Colorado in the wild-card game, will try to help the Cubs win two straight for the first time since May 21-22.
Two of Dahl’s three hits in six career at-bats versus Hendricks are home runs. Arenado, meanwhile, is 6-for-22 (.273) with two homers against him while Story is 1-for-8 when matched up with Hendricks.
The Rockies turn to Jeff Hoffman (1-1, 7.20 ERA), who has yet to complete more than five innings or allow fewer than three runs in any of his three 2019 starts. This will be the right-hander’s first road start of the year, but he yielded a run and struck out eight in 6 1/3 innings of a 9-1 win at Wrigley Field on June 10, 2017.
In his career against Colorado, Hoffman is 1-1 with a 6.17 ERA in three games (two starts).
Chicago’s Kris Bryant, batting .317 (13-for-41) in his past 11 games, is 3-for-5 with two homers versus Hoffman. Long-time Rockies star Carlos Gonzalez, released by Cleveland last month, could face his former team after going 1-for-3 with a walk and making a stellar catch in right field of his Cubs debut on Monday.
