Pacheco had been sharing time at third base with Chris Nelson. He will work to hone his raw third base skills with the Sky Sox, but also will get some duty at catcher and second base.

“We optioned him back with a specific plan in place,” manager Jim Tracy said. “What he needs is repetitions. He needs to be out there play after play, not every three days. We want him to be able to react to the ball off the bat. We want him to mentally react and know what he needs to do beforehand.”

Sunday roster

It’s no secret the Rockies have not played well on Sundays. They set a major league record last year, losing 17 consecutive Sunday games. They are 0-2 this season after losing 5-2 to the Diamondbacks. But Tracy defended his decision to rest a number of starters, including first baseman Todd Helton and center fielder Dexter Fowler. Regular left fielder Carlos Gonzalez missed his second consecutive game because of strep throat.

“This club is built in a way that on certain days we are going to have to do certain things,” Tracy said. “We have to do things this way or there is not going to be much left of them for the second half of the season.”

Stealing blind

Arizona stole three bases with ease off of Pomeranz. So tweaking his delivery to better hold runners is clearly on his to-do list.

“I went to the slide step after they were getting good jumps on me,” he said. “I tried to cut my time down as much as possible, mix up some more looks. Slide step is what I did all last year. This year I’m back to picking my leg up, but I’m pretty long to the plate, so I just switched back to it.”

Said Tracy: “Our catchers have done a really good job this year, but you can’t give (baserunners) a running start like they had today. Adjustments need to be made.”

DENVER — At this rate, the Rockies better invest in some titanium for the guys in the bullpen. Otherwise, their arms are going to fall off from overuse.

On Sunday, once again, a Colorado starter failed to deliever quality innings. This time it was prized 23-year-old lefty Drew Pomeranz. He lasted just 41/3 innings in a 5-2 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“I tried to make good pitches and be efficient,” said Pomeranz, who made his 2012 debut. “I ended up throwing a lot of pitches and was behind a lot in the game.”

Pomeranz, the centerpiece of last summer’s trade that sent Ubadlo Jimenez to Cleveland, threw 100 pitches in his short stint, and only 61 were strikes.

Nine games into the season, Colorado’s rotation remains a major building project. Only one Rockies starter has earned a victory. That was Jeremy Guthrie in the season opener at Houston.

As manager Jim Tracy noted, the starters must pitch deeper into games if the Rockies are going to have a chance to contend.

“We have to get more length from our starters,” Tracy said. “Because if we continue in the manner in which we are right now, that’s going to become hurtful.”

The Rockies not only need more innings out of the rotation, they need better quality. The starter’s earned-run averages illustrate the story. The best of the bunch is 49-year-old Jamie Moyer with a 4.22 ERA. The others: Jhoulys Chacin (5.63), Juan Nicasio (6.52), Jeremy Guthrie (7.84) and Pomeranz (10.38).

What the Rockies could use right about now is a pitcher such as Diamondbacks sinkerball specialist Tre-vor Cahill. He pitched 71/3 innings, allowing just one run on four hits. He induced 14 groundball outs and struck out six. He has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five starts, dating back to last season.

“He was good today, getting the right pitch when he needed it,” Rockies right fielder Michael Cuddyer said.

On a bittingly cold and blustery day, the Diamondbacks sunk their teeth into Pomeranz early. Chris Young hammered a 3-2 fastball through the wind and into the left-field seats for a two-run homer in the first. It was Young’s fourth homer of the season.

“I threw a lot of balls down the middle,” Pomeranz said. “I’m really usually pretty good about staying corner to corner. I missed over the middle of the plate to a good fastball hitting team, and that’s what happens.”

The Pomeranz project also includes improving his policing of baserunners. The Diamondbacks robbed Pomeranz blind in the third. Gerardo Parra stole second and third and scored on Young’s single, putting Arizona ahead 3-0.

In the fifth, Arizona loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, setting up a two-run single by Aaron Hill. Trailing 5-0, Pomeranz’s day was done.

“His command was not quite what it was in spring training and he struggled with his breaking ball today,” Tracy said.

Colorado staged a mini-rally in the eighth, scoring two runs on an RBI-groundout by Tyler Colvin and a run-scoring infield single by Troy Tulowitzki. With two outs and the bases loaded, Ramon Hernandez came in to pinch hit against Arizona reliever Bryan Shaw. Hernandez grounded out to first to end the threat.

Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 2 Arizona ab r h bi Colo. ab r h bi

RRorts 3b 5 0 2 0 EYong lf 4 0 1 0

GParra lf 5 2 1 0 Colvin cf-rf 4 0 0 1

J.Upton rf 5 2 2 0 Tlwtzk ss 3 0 1 1

CYoung cf 4 1 2 3 Giambi 1b 3 0 0 0

Gldsch 1b 4 0 1 0 Guthrie pr 0 0 0 0

A.Hill 2b 2 0 1 2 RBtncr p 0 0 0 0

JMcDnl ss 4 0 0 0 Cuddyr rf 3 0 0 0

HBlanc c 4 0 1 0 MtRynl p 0 0 0 0

Cahill p 4 0 0 0 Hrndz 1b 1 0 0 0

Patersn p 0 0 0 0 Rosario c 3 0 1 0

Ziegler p 0 0 0 0 Nelson 3b 4 0 0 0

Breslw p 0 0 0 0 JHerrr 2b 4 1 3 0

Shaw p 0 0 0 0 Pomrnz p 1 0 0 0

Roenck p 1 0 0 0

Fowler cf 0 1 0 0

Totals 37 5 10 5 Totals 31 2 6 2

Arizona 201 020 000 — 5

Colorado 000 000 020 — 2

E –J.Upton (1). DP — Arizona 2. LOB — Arizona 8, Colorado 6. 2B — Goldschmidt (2). HR — C.Young (4). SB — G.Parra 2 (2), J.Upton (1), C.Young (2).

Arizona IP H R ER BB SO

Cahill W,1-0 71/3 4 1 1 2 6

Paterson 1/3 1 1 1 1 0

Ziegler 0 1 0 0 0 0

Breslow 0 0 0 0 1 0

Shaw S,2-2 11/3 0 0 0 0 1

Colorado IP H R ER BB SO

Pomeranz L,0-1 41/3 9 5 5 2 3

Roenicke 22/3 1 0 0 1 5

Mat.Reynolds 1 0 0 0 0 2

R.Betancourt 1 0 0 0 0 1

Ziegler pitched to 1 batter in the 8th. Breslow pitched to 1 batter in the 8th. PB — Rosario. Balk — Pomeranz. T — 3:19. A — 26,952 (50,398).

Late Saturday

Rockies 8, Diamondbacks 7 Arizona ab r h bi Colo. ab r h bi

RRorts 3b 4 2 1 0 Scutaro 2b 3 1 0 0

GParra lf 4 0 3 1 Fowler cf 3 1 0 0

J.Upton rf 5 2 1 0 Chatwd p 0 0 0 0

MMntr c 4 1 1 3 Giambi ph 1 0 0 0

CYoung cf 4 0 2 1 Tlwtzk ss 4 0 0 0

Overay 1b 3 0 0 0 Helton 1b 4 1 1 2

Gldsch ph-1b 1 0 0 1 Cuddyr rf 4 1 3 1

A.Hill 2b 4 1 0 0 Colvin lf-cf 4 2 2 2

JMcDnl ss 4 1 2 1 RHrndz c 4 1 1 1

Cllmntr p 1 0 0 0 Pachec 3b 3 1 1 0

Blum ph 0 0 0 0 Brothrs p 0 0 0 0

Miley p 2 0 1 0 EYong lf 1 0 1 1

DHrndz p 0 0 0 0 Chacin p 2 0 0 1

Putz p 0 0 0 0 Roenck p 0 0 0 0

MtRynl p 0 0 0 0

Belisle p 0 0 0 0

Nelson ph-3b 2 0 1 0

Totals 36 7 11 7 Totals 35 8 10 8

Arizona 100 031 110 — 7

Colorado 031 100 012 — 8

Two outs when winning run scored. E — Tulowitzki 2 (3), Chacin (1). DP — Arizona 1, Colorado 3. LOB — Arizona 9, Colorado 6. 2B — Jo.McDonald 2 (2), E.Young (1). 3B — Cuddyer (1), Pacheco (1). HR — M.Montero (2), Helton (1), Colvin (1), R.Hernandez (2). SB — C.Young (1), Scutaro (2). CS — A.Hill (1). S — G.Parra. SF — Goldschmidt.

Arizona IP H R ER BB SO

Collmenter 4 5 5 5 3 2

Miley 3 2 0 0 1 0

D.Hernandez H,3 1 2 1 1 0 2

Putz L,0-1 BS,1-5 1/3 1 2 2 0 1

Colorado IP H R ER BB SO

Chacin 4 4 1 1 3 5

Roenicke 1 2 3 3 1 0

Mat.Reynolds H,1 1/3 0 0 0 0 0

Belisle BS,1-1 2/3 1 1 0 0 0

Brothers 1 2 1 1 0 0

Chatwood W,1-0 2 2 1 1 1 3

HBP — by Putz (Scutaro). WP — Chacin. T — 3:19 (Rain delay: 1:11). A — 29,856 (50,398).

DENVER – As reporters huddled around Diamondbacks’ Chris Young on Sunday afternoon, teammate Justin Upton yelled from across the room. “Ask him how his back feels,” Upton said.

---

Diamondbacks-Rockies photos | Box | Twitter updates

---

You know, from carrying the team.

Young did it again Sunday, homering and driving in three runs as the Diamondbacks avoided a sweep with a 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies at a cold and rainy Coors Field.

Right-hander Trevor Cahill threw 71/3 strong innings, rebounding from what was a shaky debut with his new team, and reliever Bryan Shaw got the final four outs, carrying the load on a day manager Kirk Gibson wanted to stay away from primary late-inning men David Hernandez and J.J. Putz.

But, again, Young was the star, as he has been over and over in the season’s first nine games. His home run, a two-run shot off Rockies left-hander Drew Pomeranz, was his fourth, and he added an RBI single and drew a walk. His average is at .364, his on-base at .475 and he’s driven in more than a quarter of the Diamondbacks’ runs.

“He’s been huge for us,” catcher Miguel Montero said. “He’s pretty much picking up the team and carrying the team himself.

“He looks like a different hitter. He’s not just going up there swinging. He knows what he wants to do. He’s been patient, walking a lot more and having good at-bats. Even when he makes an out he’s having a quality at-bat.”

But Young says he doesn’t feel all that different — and, in a way, that’s what’s different. In seasons past, he has been about as streaky a player as the Diamondbacks have had, someone capable of a weeklong home-run binge in May before going a month without one later in the summer.

He doesn’t feel as locked in as he has in the past, and in some ways, he thinks that might be a good thing.

“I want to be able to be consistent with the same approach,” Young said. “Even if I didn’t get super hot and just consistently had good at-bats, I think in the long run you’d have a lot better production than you will with a lot of hot and cold streaks.”

In hopes of avoiding the peaks and valleys, he’s been quicker to analyze his swing than in previous years. In the past, it might take a week of struggles for him to start tinkering. Now, he says, if an at-bat doesn’t feel right, he’ll wonder why.

“Can I try to make an adjustment for that next at-bat and not let it get to that point?” Young said. “I’m not saying it never will, but that’s what the plan is.”

It worked last week during a game in San Diego, when he raced to the clubhouse mid-game to review video of an at-bat. He saw something in his swing, tweaked it and wound up crushing the go-ahead home run later in the night.

On Sunday, he jumped on a full-count fastball from Pomeranz and sent it 10 rows deep in left-center field.

“He’s put us up quite a few games” second baseman Aaron Hill said. “You don’t want to know what it would be like without him.”

Rewind

Cahill cruises: After walking six men in his first start with the Diamondbacks last week, right-hander Trevor Cahill told catcher Henry Blanco all he wanted to do was throw strikes; if the Rockies hit him, so be it.

He did, but the Rockies couldn’t. Cahill gave up just one run on four hits and two walks in 71/3 innings.

“I was just trying to keep it down and fortunately enough they were kind of beating it into the ground and that’s usually a sign of when I’m on,” Cahill said. “It was pretty cold (48 degrees at first pitch) so it was probably uncomfortable to hit. So that probably helped out a lot.”

Big play: With a runner on first in the fifth, Colorado’s Chris Nelson hit a popup into shallow right field. Second baseman Aaron Hill raced back, made an over-the-shoulder catch and immediately spun and fired to first for a double play.

“As a baserunner, I know that on a ball like that, it’s a tough play,” he said. “You want to get to second. If you don’t, it drops and (right fielder Justin) Upton may pick it up and throw you out at second. So he’s got to get off a little bit. It worked out for us.”

Running ragged: The Diamondbacks entered Sunday with six steals in nine attempts, but they went 4 for 4 running on Colorado rookie Drew Pomeranz.

“If there’s something available, then you take it,” manager Kirk Gibson said. “We felt there was. He was a young kid and we pushed the envelope there and the guys did a good job of that. I think he got a little unraveled there from time to time.”

View from the press box

One thing the Diamondbacks did well last season was avoid losing skids, and after losing back-to-back games for the first time this season, they were able to prevent the sweep with a win on Sunday. After getting swept in San Francisco May 10-12, they were swept in just one other series, vs. the Atlanta Braves in August. They’re not always going to be firing on all cylinders — they weren’t this weekend — and those are the times it’s important to steal a win here and there.

Up next: Pittsburgh Pirates

It’s been a rough start to the season for the Pirates, who after taking two of three from the Philadelphia Phillies to open the season had lost five in a row to the Dodgers and Giants before beating the Giants 4-1 on Sunday. Their offense has gone ice cold, in part because of struggles hitting with men in scoring position, something the Diamondbacks have had difficulty with as well. The Pirates were just 5 for 41 (.122) in those situations. 3B Pedro Alvarez is off to a rough start, going just 1 for 16. The Pirates’ pitching staff has been very good, posting a 2.78 ERA through eight games. Former Diamondbacks RHP Juan Cruz is pitching out of the Pirates bullpen. He hasn’t allowed a run in four innings, striking out six. | *Stats through Saturday.

Drew Pomeranz, pitching at spring training in Scottsdale, Ariz., last month, has added a better curveball to his arsenal.”And I’m working on that changeup,” he says. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

The way Drew Pomeranz sees it, he was essentially a one-pitch pitcher when he made his big-league debut last season.

He’s exaggerating, of course, but he’s confident that he has evolved from the fastball-dependent kid who went 2-1 with a 5.40 ERA in his first four major-league starts.

“I was throwing fastballs, basically,” Pomeranz, 23, said Saturday. “Now there’s more life to the fastball and a click more velocity. Now I have a better curve, and I’m working on that changeup.”

Pomeranz, the centerpiece of last summer’s trade that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland, is scheduled to make his 2012 debut against the Diamondbacks today at Coors Field. Last week, the 6-foot-5 lefty pitched four scoreless innings for

Double-A Tulsa in a tuneup game at Corpus Christi, Texas. He allowed four hits and struck out four on 77 pitches (48 were strikes).

Last season, Pomeranz made his big-league debut only three weeks after having his appendix removed. He was never quite at full strength when he reported to the Rockies late last season.

“He’s definitely healthier than when he showed up to us last year in September,” manager Jim Tracy said. “I think with his fastball and his curveball, there is evidence of that. There is more life to his pitches. And there is no getting around the fact that he had a tremendous spring training.”

The Rockies started Pomeranz in the minors this spring because they plan to limit his innings as they ease him into his major-league role. He pitched only 119 innings last year (minors and majors combined), so the Rockies are pointing to 160 to 170 innings this season.

There is a lot riding on Pomeranz’s wide shoulders. It’s not just the fact that he was traded for Jimenez, a former Rockies ace. The Rockies need Pomeranz to develop into a keystone of their rotation, and the sooner the better.

After his big-league debut against Cincinnati last season — five scoreless innings, only two

hits allowed — outfielder Carlos Gonzalez said: “He looked great. That’s our future right there.”

Pomeranz is his own toughest critic, and he is constantly scrutinizing his pitches. But he has impressed his teammates.

“I’ve seen a guy with tremendous potential,” shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said during spring training. “He’s someone who has gotten away with being really, really good, but now can take it to the next level. That’s where work ethic comes into play. But we’re talking about a top-of-the- rotation pitcher.”

For now, Pomeranz just wants get back on a major-league mound.

“I’m excited to get out there and actually play in a game,” he said. “I’m tired of sitting around the dugout.”

Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com

Many baseball fans may have thought it a gimmick for the Colorado Rockies to invite 49-year-old pitcher Jamie Moyer to spring training this year. Cue the AARP/Social Security/Grandpa jokes, right? How many times do I have to hear fans around me at the games and the sports bar joke about how they could throw as hard as Moyer and that they should be pitching for the Rockies?

Well, the joke has been on the doubters so far this season. Not only has Jamie Moyer made the roster of the Rockies, but he has pitched very well in his two starts. Unfortunately, poor hitting and clumsy fielding behind him have cost him at least one win.

It’s rather amazing that hitters haven’t figured out how to hit Moyer consistently. The man throws fastballs in the 75 mph range, and I’ve yet to see a pitch of his go much faster. Occasionally, he might toss one in the 68 mph range. How can it be that he’s not been run out of the park in the first inning of ever game? I sat behind home plate for his start against the San Francisco Giants and I still don’t know how they managed to not murder the ball on every pitch across the plate.

Watching Moyer, the vast majority of the balls have been in play. Hitters are definitely making contact, but solid contact is infrequent. Moyer will give up a home run or two when he pitches, but it’s highly unusual to see more than a few batters in a row be able to hit him well. The key is having a good defense behind him because they are gonna see a lot of balls, but so far the Rockies have failed miserably there. In his two starts the Rockies have committed five errors behind him. That’s just inexcusable.

On top of that, the Rockies’ anemic offense throughout most of the first week of the season has also failed him. They scored just five runs over his two starts. Moyer is a pitcher that, perhaps more than most, is gonna need some decent run support. I’m not asking for ten runs a game. Moyer has only give up five earned runs this year. Clearly simply scoring three or four runs while he’s in the game could be enough to win now that the middle relief staff seems to be hitting its stride.

I have no doubt that the Rockies will eventually put it all together behind Moyer. I don’t honestly care about him becoming the oldest pitcher to win a game in the MLB. I care more about why Moyer was brought to Colorado. The Rockies need him to pitch five to seven quality innings every time he starts, and to bring that as long as he can this season. The starting rotation is a work in progress. Juan Nicasio was very shaky in his start against the Diamondbacks last night and his mental recovery from his fractured vertebrae may still be ongoing. Jhoulys Chacin is very young and showing it. The Rockies are still waiting for Jorge De La Rosa to get back from Tommy John surgery.

It’s not a joke that Moyer is pitching for the Rockies. He’s a quality arm delivering good innings of work. The Rockies could win these games that Moyer pitches if they bring their bats to the game. Moyer might be the difference between a bad season and a good season. That’s nothing to laugh about.

Julie is a Featured Contributor and has followed baseball her entire life. She’s been a fan of the Colorado Rockies ever since moving to Denver in 2001. Her goal this year is to watch 100 of their games. She’s seen six games in the first week.

The Colorado Rockies came through tonight very late to defeat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-6 on a chilly Friday the 13th evening in Denver. The bats were awakened once more as the Rockies scored runs in five different innings to come from behind late to seal the win.

Nicasio’s Rough Night

I wasn’t planning on going to tonight’s game until around 2 p.m. Fortunately, I was able to grab a decent ticket online and hopped on the light rail to the park after work. The big draw for me tonight was seeing Juan Nicasio’s return to the mound in Denver. The last time he pitched for the Rockies was August 5, 2011, when he was hit by a line drive and broke a cervical vertebrae when he fell to the mound.

While I may have hustled to the ballpark to see Nicasio throw the first pitch, it was certainly not the case for most of the fans. Despite an announced attendance of 30,642 fans, I’d estimate perhaps only a third of them were in their seats by the time Nicasio took the mound. Whether from nerves or just an off night, Nicasio struggled with his control throughout the game. It was easy to tell it was going to be a short outing for Nicasio when he threw 44 pitches in the first inning alone. By the time he was finally pulled from the game in the third inning, he had thrown 91 pitches (42 balls, 49 strikes).

The Rockies Finally Come Together

Fortunately for Nicasio, the rest of the team came together after his exit. I’ve criticized the middle relief pitchers earlier in the season, but the trio of Esmil Rogers, Matt Belisle, and Rex Brothers came in and held the Diamondbacks to just three hits over a span of five innings and allowed the Rockies a chance to rally their bats and come from behind to win the game.

While the Rockies had each positional starting player get at least one hit tonight, the real hero was Todd Helton. Helton had some big hits, but the biggest was in the bottom of the eighth inning when he came to bat with Carlos Gonzalez on third base and two outs. Helton smashed the ball down the line in left field to give the Rockies their first lead of the game at 7-6. From there, Rafael Betancourt came in to collect the save and bring the Rockies up to a record of 3-4.

Things To Ponder

Prior to the start of this game, I had been wondering if Manager Jim Tracy should switch the batting positions of Todd Helton (fifth) and Michael Cuddyer (sixth). Cuddyer has had a faster start than Helton, but the first baseman came through tonight in a huge way. Obviously Tracy won’t be making any changes here soon, but keep an eye on this as the season progresses.

Dexter Fowler continues to have fielding issues in center field. He bobbled and dropped a routine bouncing ball hit out to him, but fortunately it didn’t result in additional bases because the runner himself was lollygagging a bit.

If you think it’s cool to catch a home run ball hit by the opposing team at Coors Field and then throw it back like they do at Wrigley Field, think again. Tonight one poor hapless fan played the hero for a few seconds when he caught a home run ball hit by the Diamondbacks in the third inning. I could hear, even way far out in my left field seat, the fans in the right field seats chanting and egging the poor guy to throw the ball back. He did to exuberant cheers which then turned to boos when ushers came to collect and escort the guy to the exit.

Julie has been a fan of baseball her entire life. While growing up in Atlanta watching the Braves and being born into a family of Los Angeles Dodger fans, she became a Colorado Rockies fan when she moved to Denver in 2001. She has two goals this year. One is to watch (either in person or on tv) 100 Rockies games this season (she’s seen six). The second goal is to become a proficient scorecard keeper.

The San Francisco Giants have preached that with their pitching and defense, they will compete in the NL West. Well, if you’re looking for the most backward story of the year so far, take a closer look at exactly what the Giants are doing. In their first three games they are 1-3 as a team and their three best pitchers — Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, and Madison Bumgarner — have all taken losses. Their one win, was a gem thrown by Barry Zito, a four-hit complete-game shutout, in which the Giants scored seven runs. That happened Monday (April 9) against the Colorado Rockies and in four games this year the Giants have scored a total of 23 runs.

Let me go ahead and repeat that, “in four games this year the Giants have scored a total of 23 runs,” and the team is 1-3. What gives?

Well, the Giants’ starting pitching has been completely backwards so far as Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner have all given up at least four runs in each of their starts, while Zito has thrown a shutout. Not to mention the Giants’ defense wasn’t exactly stellar, especially in their last game against the Arizona Diamondbacks (April when they committed three errors.

Regardless, Lincecum will the first up in line to try and rectify the performance he had in his first start. I don’t think he lacked control, but he missed above the belt a couple of times and the Diamondbacks made him pay. Let’s take a look at what Giants will have to do to beat the Rockies again:

Stay aggressive offensively.

The Giants have hit the ball extremely well so far this season — and I mean extremely well in comparison to the lack of offense from 2011. Sure they are still struggling a bit in certain situations, but the overall output and scoring of runs is certainly a bright spot for the Giants thus far. If the Giants can remain aggressive in hitter’s counts and continue to score timely hits from throughout the lineup, then the Giants will again beat the Rockies.

Lincecum pitches within himself.

Opening Day adrenaline is always expected. Now that Lincecum has gotten that start out of his system, hopefully he will settle into a nice rhythm and not make as many mistakes as before. Playing in Colorado, where the ball carries like there is not tomorrow, should be at the top of Lincecum’s mind in terms of not making mistakes above the belt. If he’s going to miss, he has to miss low — especially against a powerful lineup that touts Todd Helton, Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki.

X-factor

The x-factor of this game against the Rockies will be Melky Cabrera. Having spent a nice amount of time in the American League, Cabrera has faced off with the Rockies’ starter for the April 11 matchup, Jeremy Guthrie. In his career against Guthrie, Cabrera is hitting .355 with four doubles and one home run. If Cabrera can continue his ownage of Guthrie and Pablo Sandoval keeps hitting at Coors Field like they built it for him, the Giants will most definitely earn another win in Colorado.

Prediction: With Buster Posey and Brandon Belt returning to the lineup after their day off, Tim Lincecum will have all the offensive firepower necessary to earn his first win on the year.

Score: Giants 6 – Rockies 2

David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where fresh content is posted daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.

You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp

Sources:

MLB.com. Giants vs. Rockies Preview. MLB 2012

More from David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

Los Angeles Lakers Must Face San Antonio Spurs Without Kobe Bryant: Fan Preview

Barry Zito Throw First Shutout as a Giants: Fan Reaction

Best things about being a San Francisco Giants’ Fan: Fan Breakdown

Golden State Warriors’ Bench Could Feast Again Against Denver Nuggets: Fan Preview

Kobe Bryant is Still the Most Important Laker: Fan Reaction

Giants-Rockies Preview

By MATT BECKER

STATS Senior Writer

(AP) — The Colorado Rockies are faced with the difficult task of trying to get their sputtering lineup in gear against San Francisco Giants ace Tim Lincecum.

Seemingly just as challenging, Colorado’s Jeremy Guthrie will be asked to keep Pablo Sandoval in check.

Lincecum looks to bounce back from a rough opener and Sandoval will try to continue battering Colorado pitching Wednesday night at Coors Field.

The Giants (1-3) defeated the Rockies 7-0 in the series opener Monday after losing three one-run games at Arizona, their first 0-3 start since 1984. Barry Zito threw a four-hitter for his first shutout in nine years and Sandoval gave the 2002 AL Cy Young Award winner all the offense he needed with a first-inning, two-run homer.

Sandoval is off to a quick start with two home runs and six RBIs, and he’s routinely given the Rockies problems. The 2011 All-Star is batting .444 with five homers, 11 RBIs and a .545 on-base percentage in nine games against Colorado since the start of last season, with San Francisco winning eight times.

Making matters worse for Colorado, it will be sending a right-hander to the mound in Guthrie (1-0, 3.86 ERA). Sandoval’s .328 average against right-handers since the start of last season is seventh best in baseball.

Sandoval isn’t the only San Francisco hitter that has fared well against the Rockies. Catcher Buster Posey is batting .329 and has a .427 OBP in 23 career matchups.

Posey, 4 for 12 with a homer and two RBIs on the season, sat out Monday in a scheduled day off.

“This was the plan, to give him the first day off here, and the day off gives him two days,” manager Bruce Bochy told the team’s official website. “At that point, we’ll check on him after the game and see how he’s doing. I don’t know if we have to do that any more. He feels fine.”

Posey is expected to return Wednesday to catch Lincecum (0-1, 8.44).

The two-time NL Cy Young winner is coming off a forgettable performance at Arizona on Friday, yielding five runs and six hits – two of them first-inning homers – while striking out seven in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-4 loss.

The right-hander made two starts against the Rockies last season – both at Coors – with vastly differing results. He allowed a run and struck out 10 in 7 2-3 innings of an 8-1 win April 10, but a month later gave up seven runs – three earned – with nine hits and six walks in 5 2-3 innings of a 7-4 loss.

He’ll be facing a Colorado club that has totaled 10 runs, five coming during a three-game skid.

Against Zito on Monday, the Rockies were limited to a season-low four hits and failed to draw a walk for the second time. They were second in the NL with 555 walks last season.

The heart of Colorado’s lineup is struggling mightily with Troy Tulowitzki hitting .214, Carlos Gonzalez batting .176 and Todd Helton 1 for 12. Tulowitzki has batted .184 with eight strikeouts in 38 career at-bats against Lincecum.

“We’re probably not the only club in baseball that right now is trying to find its way a little bit offensively,” manager Jim Tracy said. “I think the cure for that is to keep allowing a bunch of professional hitters to go up there and take at-bats. At some point and time, I guarantee you we’ll get that squared away.”

Helton is batting .364 (12 for 33) with three doubles and a home run against Lincecum.

Guthrie, acquired from Baltimore in the offseason, is set to make his first appearance at Coors Field after giving up three runs in seven innings of a 5-3 win at Houston on Friday.

Updated April 10, 2012

After earning their first victory of the season off of Barry Zito‘s first shutout in nine years, the San Francisco Giants will look to continue their positive trend against the Colorado Rockies. Looking to rebound from a rough start on Opening Day where he lasted less than six innings, gave up five earned runs, and allowed two home runs, Tim Lincecum returns to the site where he earned his first career major league victory on May 11, 2007 in hopes of his first win of the season.

Unlike the first game of the series, manager Bruce Bochy will reinsert catcher Buster Posey and first baseman Brandon Belt into the lineup on Wednesday, giving Lincecum even more bats in the lineup for a chance at his first win of the season. After starting the entire Arizona Diamondbacks series, Posey was given his first of many rest days of the season to give him a chance to rest his surgically-repaired ankle. In his place, new backup catcher Hector Sanchez earned the start and quickly delivered in his first action of the season with two hits and a RBI.

While Posey’s game off was for rest, Belt was given the day off and a talk from Bochy after collecting only one hit in his first 10 at-bats. Despite his early struggles, Bochy plans on giving Belt an ample number of starts and at-bats unlike his varying usage during his rookie season.

The game:

The San Francisco Giants will take on the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field located in Denver, CO on Wednesday, April 11, 2012 at 5:40 p.m. PT. This will be the second game in a three-game series.

The season series:

The season series currently stands at 1-0 in favor of the Giants.

Where to watch and listen to the game:

The game can be watched live on MLB Network or locally at the following:

In San Francisco: CSN-BA & KNBR 680 (radio)

In Colorado: Root Sports & KOA 850 (radio)

The starting pitcher matchup:

San Francisco: Tim Lincecum

2011 season: 13-14, 2.74 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 220 Ks

Numbers vs. Rockies in last five years: 8-6, 3.27 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 119 Ks

Colorado: Jeremy Guthrie

2011 season: 9-17, 4.33 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 130 Ks

Numbers vs. Giants in last five years: 0-1, 6.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 2 Ks

Team injuries:

San Francisco: Clay Hensley (mild calf strain), Dan Runzler (aggravated strained left lat muscle), Freddy Sanchez (recovery from right shoulder surgery), Eric Surkamp (strained flexor tendon, left hand), Ryan Vogelsong (lower back spasms)

Colorado: Charlie Blackmon (turf toe, right foot), Jorge De La Rosa (recovery from left elbow surgery), Hector Gomez (strained right groin), Josh Outman (strained oblique)

Next series on tap:

Following this series, the Giants will host the Pittsburgh Pirates from April 13-15 and host the Philadelphia Phillies from April 16-18.

Meanwhile, the Rockies’ next two series will be at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks from April 13-15 and at home against the San Diego Padres from April 16-18.

Sources:

Giants-Rockies Preview, Yahoo! Sports

Lincecum seeks rebound against new Rox ace, MLB

More from this contributor:

Fan’s Preview: Will Barry Zito Lead the San Francisco Giants to Their First Win of the Season?

Fan’s Take: Did the San Francisco Giants overpay for Matt Cain?

Matt Cain, San Francisco Giants Finally Agree to 5-Year Extension: Fan’s Reaction

Former San Francisco Giants Catcher Bengie Molina Retires After 13 Seasons: Fan’s Reaction

San Francisco Giants SP Tim Lincecum’s Two-Year Contract Not Big Deal: Fan’s Take

Austin Chang is a lifelong San Francisco Bay Area native, baseball fan, and supporter of the San Francisco Giants. Follow this contributor on Twitter @_austinchang.

Michael Cuddyer scores Monday for the Rockies in Tempe, Ariz. Catching for the Angels: Ex-Rockie Chris Iannetta. Chris Carlson, The Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. — The re-education of outfielder Tyler Colvin makes him a favorite to stick on the Rockies’ roster, especially with Charlie Blackmon out indefinitely with a turf toe injury.

If the Rockies keep just four outfielders, it might come down to a choice between Colvin and Eric Young Jr. In 2010, Colvin hit 20 home runs for the Cubs, but he became so pull-happy that he messed up his swing. He hit just .150 in 2011 and was sent down to Triple-A. This spring, he has concentrated on hitting to all fields, and it’s paying off. His versatility — he’s comfortable at all three outfield spots and has played first base — is a bonus.

Monday, against the Angels, the left-handed hitter drove in

a run with a solid single in the fourth inning and then singled, stole second and scored in the sixth. He’s hitting .400.

“I knew after the year I had, I was going to have to prove myself,” said Colvin, acquired from the Cubs as part of the trade for third baseman Ian Stewart. “I just have to keep hitting and playing good defense.”

The Rockies worked overtime to fix Colvin’s swing.

“The kid got in a rut and got himself in a lot of trouble,” manager Jim Tracy said. “Now he’s doing a great job of staying square and keeping his hands in front of him. He’s driving the ball the other way. He’s a really good athlete.”

Toe woes. Blackmon can’t run or put pressure on his foot because of his injury. “The injury is

more than the big toe, it’s the joint around the ball of my foot,” Blackmon said. “It’s very painful and whenever I put weight on it and rotate on it, it really bites me.”

Clearly frustrated, Blackmon said the only remedy is rest, but added, “I don’t know how much time I have to be sitting around and resting.”

Pomeranz making progress. Lefty Drew Pomeranz gave up one run and four hits in four innings. He moved the ball well throughout the strike zone, but he was not pleased

with his high pitch count (85).

“So far, this is the first time I haven’t been as efficient with my pitches,” Pomeranz said.

He said his arm feels strong and he has no problems from the right glute strain that sidelined him.

Fowler update. Dexter Fowler went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, dropping his average to .114, but Tracy praised Fowler’s defense and remains confident Fowler will find his swing.

Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

TEMPE, Ariz. — The re-education of outfielder Tyler Colvin makes him a favorite to stick on the Rockies’ roster, especially with Charlie Blackmon out indefinitely with a turf toe injury.

If the Rockies keep just four outfielders, it might come down to a choice between Colvin and Eric Young Jr. In 2010, Colvin hit 20 home runs for the Cubs, but he became so pull happy that he messed up his swing. He hit just .150 in 2011 and was sent down to Triple-A. This spring, he’s concentrated on hitting to all fields, and it’s paying off. His versatility — he’s comfortable at all three outfield spots and has played first base — is a bonus.

On Monday, against the Angels, the left-handed hitter drove in a run with a solid single in the fourth,

and then singled, stole second and scored in the sixth. He’s hitting .400.

“I knew after the year I had, I was going to have to prove myself,” said Colvin, acquired from the Cubs as part of the trade for third baseman Ian Stewart. “I just have to keep hitting and playing good defense.”

The Rockies worked overtime to fix Colvin’s swing.

“The kid got in a rut and got himself in a lot of trouble,” Tracy said. “Now he’s doing a great job of staying square and keeping his hands in front of him. He’s driving the ball the other way. He’s a really good athlete.”

Blackmon’s toe woe

Blackmon can’t run or put pressure on his foot because of his injury.

“The injury is more than the big toe, it’s the joint

around the ball of my foot,” Blackmon said. “It’s very painful and whenever I put weight on it and rotate on it, it really bites me.”

Clearly frustrated, Blackmon said the only remedy is rest, but added, “I don’t know how much time I have to be sitting around and resting.”

Pomeranz’s Progress

Lefty Drew Pomeranz gave up one run on four hits in four innings Thursday. He moved the ball well throughout the strike zone, but he was not pleased with his high pitch count

(85)

“So far, this is the first time I haven’t been as efficient with my pitches,” he said. He added that his arm feels strong and he has no problems from the right glute strain that sidelined him.

Notable

Dexter Fowler went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, dropping his average to .114, but Tracy praised Fowler’s defense and remains confident Fowler will find his swing.

Rockies 6, Angels 2 Colorado ab r h bi L.A.A. ab r h bi

Scutaro ss 1 1 0 0 Aybar ss 2 0 1 0

Hrrr pr-ss 1 1 1 0 Iztrs ss-2b 3 0 1 0

Fowler cf 4 0 0 0 Kndrck 2b 3 1 0 0

Castillo lf 1 0 0 0 Amarista ss 2 0 0 0

C.Gonzalez

lf 4 1 2 2 Pujols 1b 3 0 0 0

Brwn lf-rf 1 0 0 0 Cantu 1b 1 0 0 0

Giambi dh 3 1 1 2 Tor.Hunter rf 3 1 1 0

Nelson ph-dh 2 0 0 0 Lngrhns r-cf 1 0 0 0

Cuddyer 1b 3 1 1 0 V.Wells cf 3 0 0 0

J.Clark 1b 0 0 0 0 D.Deeds lf 0 0 0 0

Pacheco 3b 4 0 2 0 K.Morales dh 4 0 3 1

Harris 3b 0 0 0 0 Rmn pr-dh 0 0 0 0

Rosario c 2 0 0 1 Abreu lf 3 0 0 0

Nieves c 1 0 0 0 R.Kiniry cf 0 0 0 0

Colvin rf-cf 4 1 2 1 Bo.Wilson ph 1 0 0 0

Br.Wood 2b

4 0 0 0 J.Cruz rf 0 0 0 0

Callaspo 3b 4 0 0 0

Iannetta c 2 0 1 0

E.Navarro pr 0 0 0 0

Totals 35 6 9 6 Totals 35 2 7 1

Colorado 000 222 000 — 6

Los Angeles 000 101 000 — 2

E — Pacheco 2 (2), Abreu (1), Callaspo (3). DP — Colorado 2, Los Angeles 1. LOB — Colorado 7, Los Angeles 9. 2B — C.Gonzalez (2). SB — Colvin (2). CS — J.Herrera

(2). SF — Rosario.

Colorado IP H R ER BB SO

Pomeranz 4 4 1 1 1 2

E.Escalona 1 0 0 0 0 2

Mat.Reynolds 1 0 1 0 0 2

Belisle 1 1 0 0 1 1

Outman 2 2 0 0 1 3

Los Angeles IP H R ER BB SO

Richards 51/3 7 6 4 3 5

L.Van Mil 2/3 1 0 0 0 0

Takahashi 2 1 0 0 0 0

Walden 1 0 0 0 0 1

HBP — by Richards (Cuddyer). WP — Richards 2.

TEMPE, Ariz. — There was rust, but there wasn’t any pain. Chalk Wednesday up as a good day for Rockies left-hander Drew Pomeranz.

Making his first start since March 13, when he was pulled after two innings because of tightness in his right glute, Pomeranz gave up three runs on six hits, walked two and struck out two in four innings against the Angels’ Triple-A squad.

Pomeranz is expected to be one of the top four pitchers in the Rockies’ rotation.

“I felt great, really strong,” he said. “I have a lot to work on … I left some pitches up. I have some mechanics to figure out, and I’m working on some balance, but overall it was good.”

To continue reading this story go to DenverPost.com/Sports.

PEORIA, Ariz. — The Rockies have reached the halfway point of their Cactus League season.

There are still plenty of things I don’t know. For instance, will the Rockies’ fifth starter be Tyler Chatwood, Guillermo Moscoso or the ancient former Mariner, Jamie Moyer? (I’m leaning toward Chatwood.)

There’s plenty I do know. For instance, utilityman Jordan Pacheco is a lock to make the team. He’s hitting .455 (10-for-22) with five doubles, a homer and five RBIs. His on-base percentage is .455. He’s a spark plug and a smart player. But now, without further ado, I present my Rox Rewards for the first half of the spring season:

MVP: It has to be catcher Ramon Hernandez. He has already instilled a commanding

presence and become the clubhouse leader for the Latino players. He’s a disciplined hitter, a terrific game caller and fearless throwing to any base. The Rockies needed a rock behind the plate, and they found one.

MIP (most impressive pitcher): Juan Nicasio, and not simply because of his amazing return from a broken neck. His fastball, as manager Jim Tracy said, is “pure electricity.” He works with an intensity and pace that reminds me of Bob Gibson.

Nicasio struck out the mighty Albert Pujols on Monday with a wicked slider. Once Nicasio masters the slider — he’s not there yet — he could become the Rockies’ best pitcher.

MDP (most disappointing player): For all of the work he did in the offseason

and for all of his maturation as a player, I’ve been disappointed by Dexter Fowler at the plate. He was hitting .080 (2-for-25) through Monday with an OBP of .148. His swing looks off. He should be the motor for part of the Rockies’ offense, and I still think Fowler is poised for a breakout season. But the Rockies had better hope his slump is an early-spring aberration.

MCP (most captivating player): Make it catching prospect Wilin Rosario. I doubt he’ll break camp with the 25-man

roster, but he sure is intriguing. He started out rocky (passed balls, whiffing at curveballs), and he’s still raw, but he’s made steady progress all spring. Through Monday, he was hitting .409 (9-for-22) with two homers and a team-high seven RBIs. He has made adjustments at the plate, and behind it. That’s a good sign.

MOP (most overlooked player): Setup men don’t get a lot of ink, but right-handed reliever Matt Belisle has been almost perfect. His fastball command is sharp, his curve has been money — and he has been throwing it at the right time. Through Monday, he had allowed no runs and just four hits and one walk over 6 ⅓ innings. Opponents are hitting .190 against him.

MPP (most perplexing player):

Infielder Brandon Wood exploded like fireworks early in camp, nearly hitting for the cycle and bashing the ball to all fields. But he has fizzled fast. He was hitting .438 on March 10; he was down to .241 on Monday. He has struck out 11 times in 29 at-bats, and problems with his swing have returned. His fall from grace opened the door for Chris Nelson at third base.

MVQ (most valuable quote): Moyer’s the man, hands down. Chatting with the 49-year-old lefty is like listening to a professor of baseball. He’s not only wise, he’s wonderfully self-deprecating. For example, early in camp I asked him to recall the last time he threw live batting practice. He deadpanned, “I kind of look at my whole career as live BP.”

I kind of

hope he sticks around.

Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1720 or psaunders@denverpost.com