The Colorado Rockies have started players making their major league debuts in back-to-back games. It happened Sunday with right-hander Chase Dollander and Tuesday with outfielder Zac Veen.
There are no plans to make it three in a row on Wednesday when Colorado hosts the Milwaukee Brewers for the second contest of a three-game series in Denver.
The Brewers posted a 7-1 win in the opener behind solo homers from Brice Turang, Christian Yelich and William Contreras.
The Rockies will send right-hander Antonio Senzatela (0-1, 0.00 ERA) against Milwaukee lefty Tyler Alexander (1-0, 2.00).
Senzatela is making his third start, which will match his total from last season. He missed 16 months after making two starts in 2023 before Tommy John surgery, returning in late September 2024.
He has given up 19 hits this season but has only allowed one unearned run in 9 2/3 innings, which is the first time since 1913 — when earned runs became official — that a pitcher has had that combination of innings, hits and earned runs in his first two starts.
“It’s not so much fun to have people on base,” Senzatela said after his outing in Philadelphia on Thursday, in which he was charged with the 3-1 loss. “But I try to keep in my mind, ‘Keep them from scoring. Throw my best pitches right here.'”
That has been the theme for Colorado’s starters this year. The rotation has a 2.61 ERA.
“Right now, everybody’s throwing the ball well,” said Senzatela, who allowed nine hits in 4 1/3 innings in his first start in a 2-1 win at the Tampa Bay Rays in March 29 and 10 against the Phillies. “We’ll just try to keep doing that and try to win some games.”
Senzatela has faced Milwaukee six times in his career (all starts) and is 1-0 with a 3.48 ERA.
Alexander has not had as much success against the Rockies. In three career games (two starts) he is 0-1 with an 11.57 ERA.
His first two appearances this season were out of the bullpen, however with injuries decimating the Brewers’ rotation, he started last Friday against the Cincinnati Reds and picked up the 3-2 win.
The only starter from the projected five-man rotation for the Brewers coming out of spring training was Freddy Peralta, who got the win with five solid innings on Tuesday night against the Rockies Nestor Cortes landed on the injured list on Sunday with an injury to his pitching elbow, although the lefty said he doesn’t expect it to be a long-term issue.
On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Brewers acquired right-hander Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox on Monday for a package that includes 19-year-old outfielder Yophery Rodriguez and a competitive balance Round A draft pick.
“Credit to our front office to be able to make that quick move in the midst of the adversity we’re having on the mound and all the injuries,” manager Pat Murphy said. “It’s unfathomable that you think about how many guys we’ve had injured, and for them to move fast and get a quality arm like this, who we’re familiar with and can help us right away, is really great work on their part.”
Milwaukee has recovered after losing the first four games of the season, winning six of its past seven. Two of those victories have been shutouts and the Brewers have given up just seven runs in their six victories.
–Field Level Media
