Rockies Lineup – May 26, 2012: Nieves In

Two games qualifies as a winning streak, right? I mean, technically anytime you win a game followed by another game, you’re on a winning streak. So the Rockies are on one, and on the road no less! What could go wrong?

Tonight’s lineup is very similar to last night’s, right down to Tyler Colvin getting the start in place of Dexter Fowler. Fowler is kinda sorta in the doghouse, but Colvin has also performed well against Reds’ starter Mike Leake in the past (1.476 lifetime OPS).  The primary change tonight is Wil Nieves playing catcher. It’s Nieves’s first big league game as a member of the Rockies, though by no means his first ever: he’s appeared in 282 games over the past 8 years with the Padres, Yankees, Nationals, and Brewers.

The top of the Reds’ order remains the same but the bottom’s been shaken up. Dusty Baker likes the eraser at the end of his pencil about as much as Jim Tracy does, so no surprise there. In place of Ryan Ludwick, Todd Frazier, and Ryan Hanigan we’ll see Jay Bruce, Miguel Cairo, and Devin Mesoraco. Cairo has 4 hits in 5 at-bats lifetime versus Jeremy Guthrie, so that’s a no-brainer. None of the others have ever faced him, though Bruce is likely in because he bats left-handed.

Leake is a young righty with a 12-win season under his belt, but so far this year he’s only managed to win once. His 5.00+ ERA hopefully means the Rockies will have no trouble scoring off him. Then again, as we’ve learned, they are good at making bad pitchers look great.

Marco Scutaro 2B
Tyler Colvin CF
Carlos Gonzalez LF
Troy Tulowitzki SS
Todd Helton 1B
Michael Cuddyer RF
Jordan Pacheco 3B
Wil Nieves C
Jeremy Guthrie P

Zack Cozart SS
Drew Stubbs CF
Joey Votto 1B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Jay Bruce RF
Chris Heisey LF
Miguel Cairo 3B
Devin Mesoraco C
Mike Leake P

First pitch is 5:15 MDT from Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.