Major League Baseball

Rain makes Rockies cool heels for a night in NYC

Published Apr. 13, 2011 2:16 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

A little rain and unscheduled down time shouldn't slow the Colorado Rockies too much.

Nothing else has this season.

Tuesday night's game in New York was postponed by rain, and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader Thursday, giving the rolling Rockies a rest on the road.

''It's nice to get an off day,'' shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. ''We're in the middle of 16 days in a row, so we'll take one if we get one. It's not breaking up any momentum at all.''

If it were, Tulowitzki would have plenty to lose. He has four home runs already, including a shot on Monday night that wound up providing the winning margin in Colorado's 7-6 win.

The Rockies' cleanup hitter is getting excellent protection in the lineup from No. 3 hitter Carlos Gonzalez (hitting .306) and No. 2 Daniel Herrera, who has an absurd .636 on-base percentage.

''He's a tremendous bat handler,'' Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. ''The guy gets it. He understands how to work an at-bat.''

The Mets' shaky pitching staff was spared, for a night, when the game was called off in Queens shortly after the Yankees scrubbed a scheduled start against the Orioles in the Bronx. New York ranks second in the majors with 46 walks, and its bullpen has blown three saves already.

Mets lefty Jonathon Niese and New York's beleaguered bullpen were going to face Rockies righty Esmil Rogers.

Instead, the two will face off on Wednesday, pushing New York's R.A. Dickey back to the opener of the traditional doubleheader on Thursday. Chris Capuano will take the ball for the Mets in the nightcap.

The Rockies haven't announced pitchers for Thursday.

Lefty Jorge De La Rosa, originally scheduled to pitch for the Rockies Wednesday night, will now get at least one extra day for his finger to heal.

De La Rosa made an early departure April 2 due to a blood blister on the middle finger of his left hand. Although the blister has healed, De La Rosa has since developed an issue with the nail on the same finger. He went to two doctors in New York on Tuesday to have the finger examined, but didn't get any treatment.

''I'm OK - the finger is much better,'' De La Rosa said in the Rockies clubhouse Tuesday night after the game was called.

De La Rosa left in the sixth inning against the Diamondbacks on April 2. He scattered three singles and held Arizona scoreless. After retiring the leadoff batter, Rockies manager Jim Tracy and head athletic trainer Keith Dugger rushed out to the mound and decided to remove De La Rosa. The blister was treated by the training staff and De La Rosa has been healing since.

This is Colorado's only visit to New York. Tuesday night's game was to be the second of a four-game series.

Thursday's doubleheader will start at 12:10 p.m. in place of the originally scheduled 1:10 getaway day start.

NOTES: Dickey had trouble controlling his knuckleball April 8, when he caught his index fingernail on a seam while throwing a pitch in the first inning. He showed off the healed nail in the clubhouse on Tuesday and credited his mother-in-law for telling him to use a glass nail file, which is smoother than a standard emery board. ... If Colorado wins Wednesday, the Rockies will match the franchise's best road start at 5-1, set in 2006. ... The Rockies have been in sole possession of first place for six days, which is a longer streak than they had at any point in their pennant-winning 2007 season.

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball