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[/media-credit]Ubaldo Jimenez, pitching against the Cardinals on Oct. 2, broke the franchise season strikeout record.
Is Ubaldo Jimenez concerned about missing his next start for the Rockies?
“No, not at all,” he said before Sunday’s game.
Jimenez (2-7, 4.68 ERA) got his first win at Coors Field since September Saturday night against the Detroit Tigers, but was forced off the mound in the sixth inning with a right-calf cramp. He felt twinges of pain in the second inning while running the bases after his two-run single to center field, but stuck it out until back-to-back singles from the Tigers in the sixth.
“First I started feeling it when I was running from first to third, and then in that last inning,” Jimenez said.
Before Sunday’s game, he made it clear that he wasn’t worried about the cramp. If he stayed in the game, he said, it may have turned into a more serious injury. When the pain was making it difficult for him to push off the mound, he said he knew it was time to get out while he could, injury-free.
Manager Jim Tracy confirmed that Jimenez will start against the Yankees later this week.
“I fully expect him to start Friday night in New York,” Tracy said. “It’ll be an interesting challenge for Ubaldo to pitch at Yankee Stadium.”
He notched the win, his second of the season, allowing three earned runs, eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts.
Matt Pagnozzi will play catcher in his first Rockies game today, replacing Jose Morales who was placed on 60-day DL with a fractured right thumb.
Here’s Sunday’s line-up for the Rockies at Coors Field:
Rockies
1. Carlos Gonzalez CF
2. Chris Nelson 2B
3. Todd Helton 1B
4. Troy Tulowitzki SS
5. Seth Smith RF
6. Ty Wigginton 3B
7. Charlie Blackmon LF
8. Matt Pagnozzi C
9. Aaron Cook RHP
Tigers
1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Don Kelly 3B
3. Brennan Boesch RF
4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
5. Alex Avila C
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Andy Dirks LF
8. Ryan Raburn 2B
9. Justin Verlander RHP
