Rockies Face-Off: Taijuan Walker vs. Tomoyuki Sugano in Game 9 Matchup
The Colorado Rockies enter today one loss from a home sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies. Pitching has been solid despite the slide, but the offense has stalled badly.
Team trends and offensive woes
The Rockies have lost seven games so far this season. Only two of those defeats were by more than one run, and just one was a blowout. Yet Colorado has managed only five runs over its last four games. In that span they scored more than one run in just one contest.
Strikeouts are a major issue. The club is averaging over 11 strikeouts per game. They also draw the fewest walks in the league. The team has hit only five home runs and sits tied for the second-fewest runs scored in Major League Baseball.
Starting pitchers
In Game 9, the matchup pairs Taijuan Walker against Tomoyuki Sugano in a Rockies face-off. Both pitchers bring contrasting recent results and clear histories against Colorado.
Tomoyuki Sugano
Sugano made his Rockies debut last week against Toronto. He lasted 4.2 innings and allowed one earned run. He gave up two hits and issued two walks while recording four strikeouts.
The lone run scored against him came on a solo home run. He aims for a stronger Coors Field outing than Michael Lorenzen produced on Friday.
Taijuan Walker
Walker struggled in his first start of the year against the Washington Nationals. He surrendered seven runs, six of them earned, on ten hits and three walks over 4.2 innings.
Historically, Walker has been tough on Colorado. In ten career starts versus the Rockies he holds a 2.36 ERA across 61 innings. He has allowed just five home runs in those outings.
This season Walker is working a six-pitch mix. His repertoire includes a slider, cutter, sinker, curveball, four-seam fastball, and a primary split-finger.
Broadcast information
Radio coverage for the game is available on KOA 850 AM/94.1 FM. Spanish-language broadcasts air on KNRV 1150.
Filmogaz.com will monitor how the pitching duel and Colorado’s sputtering offense determine the game’s outcome.
