Chicago Cubs vs Colorado Rockies live streaming mlb online coverage audio video feed soapcast webcast espn 360 gamecast internet tv april 15, 2011. Game Review: Troy Tulowitzki has the surging Colorado Rockies' offense clicking on all cylinders, helping the team extend its best start in franchise history.
The Rockies (10-2) recorded their fifth and sixth straight wins by defeating the New York Mets 6-5 and 9-4 on Thursday to sweep the doubleheader and the four-game series.
Tulowitzki, who went deep in all four games, hit his major league-leading sixth and seventh homers Thursday while going a combined 5 for 8 to increase his batting average to .611 (11 for 18) over his last five games.
8:40 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Pitching Matchup
Chicago v Colorado
Matt Garza
0-1, 5.68 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 at MIL
5.2 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Jhoulys Chacin
2-0, 2.77 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 at PIT
6.0 IP, 4 ER
Dec = Win
Injury Report
Chicago
* Carlos Pena 1B - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
* Kosuke Fukudome RF - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
Colorado
* Franklin Morales RP - Apr 15: Day-To-Day
* Aaron Cook SP - Apr 14: 60-Day DL
* Ubaldo Jimenez SP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
* Ian Stewart 3B - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
* Todd Helton 1B - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
* Carlos Gonzalez LF - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
"Am I shocked by it? No," manager Jim Tracy said of the All-Star shortstop, who went on a similar tear in September and has 22 homers in his last 40 games.
"When he gets hot, he's a very, very dangerous player."
Colorado, which finished 31-50 on the road last season after losing its last eight, went 7-1 on its recent trek while averaging 6.1 runs.
Playing at home may help the Rockies even more. They've taken five straight and nine of 11 from the Cubs at Coors Field -- outscoring them 95-46 over that span -- and they scored a major league-best 479 runs with an NL-high 108 homers at home in 2010.
"Colorado is a difficult place as far as home-field advantages go," manager Mike Quade told the Cubs' official website. "They understand the way the ball reacts there, both on the mound and at the plate. It gives them an advantage at home than most places."
The Rockies' starters have also impressed, going a combined 8-0 with a 3.68 ERA despite the absence of injured ace Ubaldo Jimenez.
Jhoulys Chacin (2-0, 2.77 ERA) will look to extend that run Friday.
The right-hander escaped with a victory in Sunday's 6-5 win at Pittsburgh despite giving up seven hits and five runs -- four earned -- over six innings.
He allowed three runs with five hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-2 loss at Wrigley Field on May 18 -- his only start against Chicago.
The Cubs (6-6) are coming off their second series win, taking two of three at Houston -- including a 9-5 victory Wednesday.
Shortstop Starlin Castro, batting .379 (11 for 29) over a six-game hitting streak, went 3 for 5 while Alfonso Soriano hit his team-leading fourth homer, a three-run shot.
Soriano is 23 for 64 (.359) with four home runs lifetime at Colorado.
Chicago acquired Garza (0-1, 5.68) in the offseason in hopes of bolstering its starting rotation, but the right-hander hasn't looked like the pitcher who won 15 games with Tampa Bay in 2010.
Garza allowed a career-worst 12 hits in the Cubs' 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on April 3. He followed that up by surrendering eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings of Saturday's 6-0 defeat at Milwaukee.
"I'm a fastball guy, six of their eight hits ... were breaking ball pitches or offspeed pitches," said Garza, who allowed five hits and four runs in five innings of a 4-3 loss in his only career start against the Rockies on June 18, 2009.
"That's uncalled for," he added. "That's not my style, that's not who I am and something's going to change. I haven't had bad outings, I just don't give up (20) hits in two games, that's not me."
Cubs starters have a 5.80 ERA, among the worst in the NL.
CubsAfter an impressive road trip, Colorado returns home looking to continue its hot hitting against struggling Chicago Cubs starter Matt Garza as the teams open a three-game set Friday night.
(6-6, 3-3 away)
Rockies
(10-2, 3-1 home)
The Rockies (10-2) recorded their fifth and sixth straight wins by defeating the New York Mets 6-5 and 9-4 on Thursday to sweep the doubleheader and the four-game series.
Tulowitzki, who went deep in all four games, hit his major league-leading sixth and seventh homers Thursday while going a combined 5 for 8 to increase his batting average to .611 (11 for 18) over his last five games.
8:40 PM ET, April 15, 2011
Coors Field, Denver, Colorado
Chicago v Colorado
Matt Garza
0-1, 5.68 ERA
Last appearance:
4/09 at MIL
5.2 IP, 5 ER
Dec = Loss
Jhoulys Chacin
2-0, 2.77 ERA
Last appearance:
4/10 at PIT
6.0 IP, 4 ER
Dec = Win
Injury Report
Chicago
* Carlos Pena 1B - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
* Kosuke Fukudome RF - Apr 13: Day-To-Day
Colorado
* Franklin Morales RP - Apr 15: Day-To-Day
* Aaron Cook SP - Apr 14: 60-Day DL
* Ubaldo Jimenez SP - Apr 14: 15-Day DL
* Ian Stewart 3B - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
* Todd Helton 1B - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
* Carlos Gonzalez LF - Apr 11: Day-To-Day
"Am I shocked by it? No," manager Jim Tracy said of the All-Star shortstop, who went on a similar tear in September and has 22 homers in his last 40 games.
"When he gets hot, he's a very, very dangerous player."
Colorado, which finished 31-50 on the road last season after losing its last eight, went 7-1 on its recent trek while averaging 6.1 runs.
Playing at home may help the Rockies even more. They've taken five straight and nine of 11 from the Cubs at Coors Field -- outscoring them 95-46 over that span -- and they scored a major league-best 479 runs with an NL-high 108 homers at home in 2010.
"Colorado is a difficult place as far as home-field advantages go," manager Mike Quade told the Cubs' official website. "They understand the way the ball reacts there, both on the mound and at the plate. It gives them an advantage at home than most places."
The Rockies' starters have also impressed, going a combined 8-0 with a 3.68 ERA despite the absence of injured ace Ubaldo Jimenez.
Jhoulys Chacin (2-0, 2.77 ERA) will look to extend that run Friday.
The right-hander escaped with a victory in Sunday's 6-5 win at Pittsburgh despite giving up seven hits and five runs -- four earned -- over six innings.
He allowed three runs with five hits and five walks in 5 2/3 innings of a 6-2 loss at Wrigley Field on May 18 -- his only start against Chicago.
The Cubs (6-6) are coming off their second series win, taking two of three at Houston -- including a 9-5 victory Wednesday.
Shortstop Starlin Castro, batting .379 (11 for 29) over a six-game hitting streak, went 3 for 5 while Alfonso Soriano hit his team-leading fourth homer, a three-run shot.
Soriano is 23 for 64 (.359) with four home runs lifetime at Colorado.
Chicago acquired Garza (0-1, 5.68) in the offseason in hopes of bolstering its starting rotation, but the right-hander hasn't looked like the pitcher who won 15 games with Tampa Bay in 2010.
Garza allowed a career-worst 12 hits in the Cubs' 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh on April 3. He followed that up by surrendering eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings of Saturday's 6-0 defeat at Milwaukee.
"I'm a fastball guy, six of their eight hits ... were breaking ball pitches or offspeed pitches," said Garza, who allowed five hits and four runs in five innings of a 4-3 loss in his only career start against the Rockies on June 18, 2009.
"That's uncalled for," he added. "That's not my style, that's not who I am and something's going to change. I haven't had bad outings, I just don't give up (20) hits in two games, that's not me."
Cubs starters have a 5.80 ERA, among the worst in the NL.
