--1B Todd Helton has been moved into the No. 2 slot in the batting order. Helton's production is down, but he is leading the team in on-base percentage. Brad Hawpe figures to hit fourth against right-handed pitchers and Garrett Atkins against left-handed pitchers. "With Willy running in front of him, who wouldn't want to hit in the No. 2 hole, ahead of (Matt Holliday)?" said manager Clint Hurdle.
--CF Willy Taveras was thrown out attempting to steal in back-to-back attempts at Detroit on Saturday, by Ivan Rodriguez, and Sunday, by Dane Sardinha. Taveras is 36-for-40 in stolen bases this season, and had stolen 16 in a row before the back-to-back games in Detroit. --RHP Greg Reynolds recovered after four of the first five Detroit batters he faced on Sunday had base hits, two of them scoring, and went into the sixth inning with a 3-2 lead. With two out in the sixth, however, after Edgar Renteria's infield single put runners on first and third, manager Clint Hurdle opted to call on reliever Matt Herges. Herges gave up a two-run triple to Dane Sardinha, the catcher's first big-league hit.
--2B Clint Barmes had a chance to break the game open in the third inning. Jeff Baker popped up on the first pitch from LHP Kenny Rogers after Rogers walked Ryan Spilborghs to load the bases; Barmes came up and took a fastball for strike one, then bounced a changeup back to the mound for a pitcher-to-home-to-first double play. "He did everything he was supposed to do and I'm supposed to be a better hitter," said Barmes. "I need to be looking for the ball up and I'm putting a changeup down in play."
--The Rockies were 7-8 in interleague play this year after going 21-12 combined the last two years, and opening this season 7-2.
BY THE NUMBERS: 0 -- Wins for the Rockies on their six-game road trip to Kansas City and Detroit. It was the seven winless multi-city trip in franchise history. They were 0-7 in a trip to San Diego and san Francisco June 25-July 1, 1999. They were 0-6 in trips to Yankee Stadium and Tampa Bay June 8-13, 2004; San Francisco and Arizona Aug. 8-13, 2005, and the Mets and Milwaukee Aug. 18-24, 2002. They were 0-5 on trips to Texas and San Francisco July 2-6, 1997, and Los Angeles and Francisco Aug. 9-Sept. 3, 2003.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's a pretty good model of Ubaldo Jimenez. Remember, even (on Saturday) he had 118 pitches and didn't get through the sixth inning." -- Rockies manager Clint Hurdle, on Detroit RHP Justin Verlander.
