Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Braves will send Julio Teheran to the mound to start the second game of a doubleheader against the Colorado Rockies. The two teams were forced to play a doubleheader on Tuesday after Monday night’s game was postponed due to snow. It’s the first weather postponement of the season for the Braves, but it’s the third snowout in eight days for the Rockies.
Teheran has been an inconsistent pitcher through his first three starts of the 2013 season. The 22-year-old threw mostly fastballs on Thursday, squandering three leads during a five-inning outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
This season for the Braves, Teheran has not factored into the decision of ball game, posting a 7.31 ERA with 12 strikeouts over 16 innings of work. The rookie has made 10 total major league appearances over the past three seasons and has yet to show he can perform at the MLB level. He has posted a 1-1 record with 6.00 ERA and 27 strikeouts in those 10 appearances.
The Braves have only hit .242 as a team early this season, but have received power from two bats which has kept them at the top of the standings. Evan Gattis has crushed five bombs this season with 12 RBI, while newly acquired Justin Upton sent nine home runs over the outfield fences. The two have combined for roughly half of the home runs hit by the league leading Braves.
Jon Garland will get the ball for the Rockies. Garland, a 13-year veteran of the major leagues, has spent time in the big leagues with six different clubs. The 33-year-old became the first Rockies pitcher to go seven innings in a game this season, when he held the New York Mets to six hits and two runs in a 11-3 win on Thursday. With the win, he improves to 2-0 with a 3.32 ERA and 10 strikeouts on the season.
Garland is 1-2 with a 7.25 and 12 strikeouts against the Braves over the past 10 seasons. The Rockies hope he can improve on his record on Tuesday.
First pitch is set for 8:40 p.m. ET at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado.
Justin Soderberg is a MLB writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter, ”Like” him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.
