Rockies have early lead vs. D-Backs, Robbie Ray

Left-hander Robbie Ray takes the mound as the Diamondbacks begin a three-game series with the Rockies on Friday at Chase Field Check back here for updates throughout tonight’s game.

Rockies jump on Ray, own early lead

The Colorado Rockies got a leadoff home run from Charlie Blackmon to open the game, then scored twice more against an erratic Robbie Ray in the third inning, and they had a 3-1 lead after 2 1/2 innings against the Diamondbacks on Friday at Chase Field.

Blackmon smoked Ray’s third pitch of the game into the right field seats. He added a single in the second inning to make him 14 for 25 (.560) against Ray in his career.

Ray, who issued a pair of walks but stranded the bases loaded in the first, walked another batter in the second and two more in the third, the latter two of which wound up scoring. The Rockies got an RBI groundout from Raimel Tapia and a run-scoring, two-out single from Ryan Hanigan to make it 3-1.

Pollock could return soon, just not this weekend

Center fielder A.J. Pollock once again appears to be on the verge of a return, but manager Torey Lovullo said it won’t happen this weekend against the Colorado Rockies.

“I feel very strongly that he won’t play this weekend,” Lovullo said. “We’re just too close to this progression to force something this weekend. Obviously, we know it’s a very big series, we know the Rockies are in town, but A.J.’s health is more important than that.”

Pollock is scheduled to play seven innings in El Paso on Friday night with the Diamondbacks’ Triple-A Reno affiliate. This will be his sixth game with Reno as he works his way back from a groin injury, a return that was delayed by a quad issue that popped up nearly two weeks ago.

Lovullo was asked if Pollock needed to play a full nine innings in the minors before coming off the disabled list.

“We’re going back and forth on that,” Lovullo said. “Some feel that if he plays seven, that’s going to be sufficient enough. If A.J. wants to go nine and get another at-bat or two, we’re going to leave it wide open for him. Me, personally, I feel like if he goes seven, I feel like he’ll be ready to play nine the next time.”

By the sound of it, the soonest Pollock could be back is for Tuesday’s series opener at Dodger Stadium.

Family style

Every Diamondbacks player had a black hat with the word “Family” on the front and their uniform number embroidered on the side show up in their locker on Friday, courtesy of right-hander Taijuan Walker.

He said his brother-in-law started a sort of apparel company based in Los Angeles, and when Walker saw the “Family” design, he thought it would be a perfect fit for the team.

“I think Torey had mentioned that on the first day of spring training that he wanted everybody to be a family,” Walker said. “I think over the past couple of months we’ve grown into a big family.”

Dropping down

Lefty reliever T.J. McFarland has always been a ground-ball pitcher, but he’s taken it to a new level this year with the Diamondbacks.

McFarland is inducing ground balls at a rate of 71.1 percent, well above his career rate of 61.8 percent. He’s only 25 1/3 innings into his season, but he’s in territory that only a handful of relievers have approached in recent years.

Over the past 10 years, only three relievers – Zach Britton (three times), Brad Ziegler (three times) and Jonny Venters (once) – have recorded ground-ball rates of 70 percent or higher.

McFarland said pitching coaches Mike Butcher and Mike Fetters encouraged him to lower his arm slot closer to where it was a few years ago when he was with the Baltimore Orioles, and he believes it’s made a difference for him this season.

“I’ve gotten really comfortable with it,” McFarland said. “And I’ve gotten really comfortable with my mechanics, and I’ve been able to control it. A lot of it has to do with control. I can get a lot of movement, but if it’s all over the place, it really doesn’t work.”

Short hops

• Lovullo said outfielder Yasmany Tomas (groin) is scheduled to take Friday off before playing in back-to-back rehab games in the rookie-level Arizona League on Saturday and Sunday. Tomas already has played two games, going a combined 1 for 5 with a home run and two strikeouts. Lovullo said the club will decide after Sunday whether Tomas needs additional time with higher-level minor league affiliate.
• Lovullo has been saving right-hander Archie Bradley for games in which the Diamondbacks have a late-inning lead, and as such Bradley hasn’t pitched in four consecutive games. “(Friday) might be a day where if we are behind he might get an inning,” Lovullo said. “We know it’s important that these guys get consistent work.”

Friday’s game 

Diamondbacks at Rockies

When: 6:40 p.m.

Where: Chase Field (roof hotline: 602-462-6262).

Pitchers: Diamondbacks LHP Robbie Ray (8-3, 2.87) vs. Rockies RHP Jon Gray (0-0, 4.38).

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KMVP-FM (98.7), KHOV-FM (105.1).

Ray gave up just two runs in 6 1/3 innings against the Phillies on Saturday, working around four walks (one intentional) by pitching his way out of a couple of jams and by getting some help from RHP Archie Bradley, who escaped the bases-loaded, one-out situation he inherited in the seventh. … Ray has faced the Rockies just once this season, when he gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings at Chase Field on April 28. … He has a 1.29 ERA in his past seven starts. … Gray, the Rockies’ Opening Day starter, will be making his first start since April 13; he’s been out with a stress fracture in his left foot. … He made three minor league starts, giving up six runs (two earned) in 13 1/3 innings with six walks and 18 strikeouts. … He has faced the Diamondbacks twice in his career, posting a 6.57 ERA in 12 1/3 innings.

Coming up

Saturday: At Chase Field, 7:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Greinke (9-4, 3.08) vs. Rockies RHP Tyler Chatwood (6-8, 4.32).

Sunday: At Chase Field, 1:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Taijuan Walker (6-3, 3.50) vs. Rockies RHP German Marquez (5-4, 4.38).

Monday: Off.

Tuesday: At Los Angeles, 6:10 p.m., Diamondbacks RHP Zack Godley (3-2, 2.67) vs. Dodgers LHP Clayton Kershaw (11-2, 2.47)*.

*  — Stats entering Thursday.

Up next 

Colorado Rockies update: The Rockies beat the Diamondbacks on June 20, scoring two runs in the eighth inning off RHP Zack Greinke in a come-from-behind victory. They haven’t won since. The Diamondbacks beat them in the final two games of that series, and the Rockies proceeded to get swept in back-to-back, three-game series by the Dodgers and Giants. The Rockies’ pitching staff – in particular the starters — has struggled during the stretch, allowing 66 runs during the eight-game skid, 42 of them by the rotation, which has a 10.22 ERA in 37 innings. The Rockies’ offense hasn’t been much better. The hitters have just a .206 average with 23 runs scored during the losing streak. This will be the Rockies’ first visit to Chase Field since April 28-30, when they took two of three from the Diamondbacks, with their only loss coming in walk-off fashion.