Stanton Looks To Extend Power Surge Against Rockies
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MIAMI (AP) - The Colorado Rockies may have a solution for keeping Giancarlo Stanton in the ballpark - send Kyle Kendrick to the mound at Marlins Park.
With Stanton in the midst of a power surge, Kendrick will try to extend his dominance of the slugger and the Miami Marlins on Friday night when the Rockies try to avoid their longest skid in a month.
Stanton went 2 for 5 with his major league-leading 22nd home run and four RBIs to raise his baseball-best total to 55 as Miami snapped a three-game skid in Thursday's series-opening 6-0 win. The All-Star is 8 for 16 with four homers, two doubles and eight RBIs over his last four games.
"The whole idea was to get more traffic on in front of `G' and give him run-producing situations," manager Dan Jennings said.
Stanton has hit .326 with 13 home runs in 35 career games versus Colorado, though it's been a much different story when he's faced Kendrick. He's gone 3 for 29 (.103) - his worst average against any pitcher he's faced at least 14 times - with nine strikeouts and just one longball against the right-hander.
Kendrick (2-7, 6.16 ERA) has allowed 15 homers and baseball's second-highest ERA, but he gave up two runs and five hits while not allowing the ball to leave the yard over seven innings in Sunday's 3-2, 10-inning home loss to Miami.
He is 14-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 27 career games against the Marlins, tying him for the fifth-most wins versus Miami behind Greg Maddux (19), Tom Glavine (17), Tim Hudson (15) and John Smoltz (15).
"I know those guys very well," he said. "They are a very aggressive team."
The 30-year-old will try to help the Rockies avoid their first three-game losing streak since a season-worst 11-game skid April 28-May 13. He's 2-1 with a 3.04 ERA in four career starts at Marlins Park.
Miami (25-36) got back on track offensively in the opener after totaling eight runs while getting swept in a three-game series at Toronto. J.T. Realmuto is 10 for 19 in his last five after going 2 for 3 and Marcell Ozuna is batting .370 on a 12-game hit streak.
Adeiny Hechavarria is batting .410 on a nine-game hitting streak versus Colorado (27-32) after going 3 for 5, but he's just 2 for 19 when facing Kendrick.
The Marlins hope to match a season high with their fourth straight home victory by giving the ball to Jose Urena (0-2, 5.49), who's improved in each of his three starts.
After allowing five runs and 10 hits over 4 2-3 innings in a 5-1 loss at Pittsburgh on May 26, the right-hander gave up three runs and four hits over six in a 5-1 home loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Urena is looking to improve on his best outing Sunday when he yielded one run and three hits over six innings opposite Kendrick in the extra-inning victory at Coors Field.
"I thought that was a big step forward for him," Jennings told MLB's official website. "He's going to have a nice future, nice career."
Corey Dickerson went 2 for 4 with a double Thursday in his return from a 23-game absence because of plantar fasciitis. DJ LeMahieu stayed hot with two more hits, leaving him 13 for 27 in his last six.
Troy Tulowitzki is batting .470 with five home runs and 14 RBIs on a 10-game hitting streak.
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