Rockies seek glimmer of hope in series opener vs. Giants

The Colorado Rockies expected to have growing pains as they rebuild with younger players, but the lessons have been hard.

Colorado has just eight victories, has yet to win consecutive games this season and has trailed in all but one of its 34 games. Things don't get easier when the Rockies host the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday to begin a three-game series in Denver.

Colorado will send right-hander Dakota Hudson (0-5, 5.93 ERA) to the mound to oppose Giants lefty Kyle Harrison (2-1, 3.79).

Hudson is coming off a solid performance in a loss at Miami on Wednesday, when he allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings but was saddled with the loss. In six career appearances -- four starts -- against San Francisco, he is 3-0 with a 2.31 ERA.

The Rockies had an off day after completing a 1-5 road trip in Pittsburgh on Sunday. The Giants lost 6-1 at Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, leaving them 1-6 on their 10-game road trip.

The Giants, who have lost four games in a row, aren't producing at the plate. They have managed only 16 runs in the seven games on their trip. San Francisco has scored three runs or fewer in 10 of its past 11 games, the only exception being a 5-4 loss to the Phillies on Sunday.

The top of San Francisco's rotation has helped keep the team in games, and Harrison, 22, leads the Giants with 38 strikeouts this season. He has made 14 starts in his two major league season, one of those against Colorado last Sept. 8. Harrison allowed four runs, three earned, in five-plus innings during a no-decision.

Harrison won't have either of the team's primary catchers behind the plate on Tuesday. Patrick Bailey landed on the concussion injured list over the weekend after he took a foul ball off the mask. Giants manager Bob Melvin is hopeful Bailey won't have to miss more than seven days.

"As far as these things go, hopefully it's mild," Melvin said.

Bailey's backup, Tom Murphy, is expected to be out four to six weeks after landing on the injured list Monday due to a left knee sprain.

Jakson Reetz got his first major league start on Monday, and the 28-year-old catcher went 0-for-3. Blake Sabol is the Giants' other catching option.

Jorge Soler, one of San Francisco's co-leaders with five homers, missed the past two games because of shoulder soreness. He is day-to-day.

The Rockies have dealt with injuries, most notably to high-priced outfielder Kris Bryant, who is still on the injured list due to a lower back strain.

At the start of the season, Colorado manager Bud Black slotted Bryant in the No. 2 spot in the lineup behind Charlie Blackmon. With Blackmon struggling and Bryant injured, Black went with Ezequiel Tovar and Brenton Doyle at Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in eight of the past nine games.

The two haven't had the results, but Black is remaining patient with the pair.

"It looks right. They're two young players establishing themselves as major league players," Black said. "Tovar has the ability to hit at the top of the order. Doyle can, too. With some of the things he can do offensively, with his speed and some power, he's dangerous. The way things are going as a group, those were two of our more productive players."