Celebrations were in full swing Wednesday night as Mickey Moniak marked his birthday with a standout performance, powering the Colorado Rockies to a commanding 10-4 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, the Rockies are hoping for a repeat of that birthday magic—this time for Brenton Doyle, who celebrates his own special day today. With the series tied at one game apiece, Colorado is aiming to close out their road trip on a high note and walk away with a respectable 3-3 record.
Taking the mound for the Rockies in this pivotal matchup is rookie sensation Chase Dollander (3-2, 3.35 ERA). This marks his second consecutive start as the team shifts away from the "opener" strategy for the promising right-hander. Dollander showed his grit in his last outing against Philadelphia, battling through five walks to grind out 5.2 innings, allowing just two runs on three hits while striking out five. While his command has wavered slightly over his past two starts, his ability to deliver strikeouts and remain effective even when his stuff isn't sharp is a hallmark of elite pitchers. This will also be Dollander's first career appearance against the Pirates, adding an element of intrigue to the matchup.
On the other side, the Pirates will counter with lefty Mason Montgomery (1-0, 2.87 ERA) as their opener. Acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays in the trade that also brought over Brandon Lowe, Montgomery has been a fireballing presence on the mound. He enters this game riding an impressive streak of 11 consecutive scoreless outings and will be making his third start of the season. Initially, Carmen Mlodzinski (2-3, 4.50 ERA) was slated to start, but Pittsburgh has opted for the opener-bulk reliever approach, a strategy they successfully employed against the Washington Nationals on April 15. Mlodzinski was sharp in his last outing, allowing just two runs on six hits over six innings against San Francisco, though he managed only one strikeout.
In roster news, the Rockies have placed right-hander Jimmy Herget on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to May 13, due to a right shoulder impingement. In a corresponding move, the team has recalled right-handed pitcher Tanner Gordon from Triple-A Albuquerque to bolster the bullpen.