The Cincinnati Reds need just one win this weekend to continue a unique pursuit of history heading into the All-Star break.
The Colorado Rockies will need a lot more than one victory to halt their unwanted flirtation with the record books.
The Reds will look to build off a pair of resounding wins while the Rockies will aim to halt another losing streak Friday night, when Cincinnati hosts Colorado in the opener of a three-game series between the National League foes.
Rookie Chase Burns (0-1, 8.10 ERA) is slated to start for the Reds against fellow right-hander German Marquez (3-10, 5.84).
The Reds salvaged a split of a four-game series Thursday, when Nick Lodolo and four relievers combined on a four-hit shutout in a 6-0 win over the visiting Miami Marlins. The Rockies were off Thursday after the host Boston Red Sox completed a three-game sweep Wednesday night with a 10-2 victory.
Cincinnati ended the series by outscoring the Marlins 13-2 on Wednesday and Thursday after being outscored 17-3 on Monday and Tuesday. The win Wednesday also ended an overall four-game losing streak for the Reds and extended their season-long streak of series without being swept to 30.
With one win this weekend, the Reds (48-46) will reach the All-Star break with a winning record. They’ve tied the 1989 team for the second-longest season-opening streak without being swept in franchise history and trail only the 1970 team, which was swept in its 33rd series.
Cincinnati has not been under .500 since June 7.
“We worked so hard to kind of get where we were and then to give it back — and now we’ve got to push, we’ve got to really push,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “Then they’ll get a really well-deserved break.”
Few teams could use a break more than the Rockies, who are 21-72 and on pace to finish 37-125 — four games worse than last year’s Chicago White Sox, who posted the most losses in the modern era. Even a sweep of the Reds would still leave Colorado on pace to tie the White Sox.
The Rockies have been swept 13 times, though the sweep at the hands of the Red Sox was the first suffered by Colorado since the Los Angeles Dodgers won three straight from June 24-26.
Interim manager Warren Schaeffer said Wednesday the Rockies — who are 14-39 since he took over for Bud Black, including 12-23 since June 1– aren’t having trouble finding inspiration even during one of the toughest seasons in big league history.
“If you can’t get yourself motivated to try to win a ballgame together with guys that you love and that you are with every single day of the year for every waking hour — if you can’t get it up to compete that night, shame on you,” Schaeffer said.
Burns didn’t factor into the decision in his third big league start last Saturday, when he allowed one run over 4 2/3 innings in the Reds’ 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. Marquez took the loss last Friday after giving up six runs over six innings as the Rockies fell to the White Sox 10-3.
Burns has never opposed the Rockies. Marquez is 4-1 with a 4.78 ERA in five starts against the Reds.
–Field Level Media
