MILWAUKEE — Ahead of Game 2 of the National League division series, Rockies manager Bud Black laid out the club’s pitching plans for Sunday and Monday’s scheduled playoff games at Coors Field.
Right-hander German Marquez (14-11, 3.77 ERA) will toe the rubber on Sunday for Game 3, and left-hander Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85) will pitch Game 4 on Monday, if necessary, as the Rockies carry an 0-1 deficit to the Brewers into Friday at Miller Park.
“(Marquez’s) day lined up, even though Kyle’s on regular days rest,” Black said. “We felt that was the move. Marquez and Freeland, they’ve both pitched (well in that order) in the last number of weeks. And that gives Kyle an extra day’s rest after the short-rest start (in Tuesday’s wild-card game).”
While that logic adds up, it’s hard not to wonder whether Black would change his mind and throw Freeland on Sunday should Colorado head back to Denver down 0-2.
The southpaw has owned Coors Field this season with a club record 2.40 ERA in 15 home outings, and has been far and away the team’s most clutch starter under pressure. It would be a tough pill for Colorado to swallow should Marquez start Game 3 and the Rockies end up getting swept without Freeland ever pitching in the series, especially following his nails performance of six-plus shutout innings in the wild card win over the Cubs.
Left-hander Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57 ERA) will start Game 3 for Milwaukee. Colorado has fared decently against Miley historically, hitting .293 (34-for-116) with a home run apiece by Ian Desmond, Carlos Gonzalez, Trevor Story and Matt Holliday.
In Miley’s lone start against them this season, a 5-4 Colorado win at Coors Field on Aug. 5, the Rockies tagged him for three runs on five hits in five innings.
