German Marquez Kaleb McGary Jersey , like the Colorado Rockies, has been much better on the road than at home this season.

Thursday afternoon against the Philadelphia Phillies. Vince Velasquez will start for the Phillies in the rubber match of a three-game set at Citizens Bank Park.

Marquez (4-6, 4.79 ERA) has a 7.71 ERA in seven home starts and opponents have a .989 OPS against him at hitter-friendly Coors Field. In six starts on the road, however, Marquez owns a 2.06 ERA, 1.086 WHIP and an .606 opponent on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Marquez is coming off an especially bad home outing. He gave up three home runs in the third inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks (one each for Paul Goldschmidt, Jake Lamb and David Peralta) last Friday and was charged with five runs in four innings of work.

“The pitches were up,” Colorado manager Bud Black told mlb.com of Marquez. “You look at the inning he gave up three homers … those are pitches that hitters can elevate. If they square them up, they’re going to go out of the park.”

Marquez, 23, has faced the Phillies once. He earned a win by allowing just one run in six innings on May 23, 2017, at Citizens Bank Park.

The Rockies improved their road record to 22-15 with an 7-2 win on Wednesday night in Philadelphia. However, Colorado (33-34) is still under .500 because the team is 11-19 at home.

The Phillies have won 21 of their 33 home games but need a win on Thursday to finish 3-3 on their six-game homestand. Gabe Kapler’s team is 3-8 in June and has not won a series in three weeks.

Velasquez (4-7, 4.95 ERA) pitched in the Phillies’ first game of the homestand, and he had one of the worst starts of his career. The 26-year-old gave up a career-high 10 runs on nine hits in just 3 2/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers last Friday. Velasquez’s season ERA jumped up by more than a run in the brief outing.

“When he came out, the velocity was down a little bit Kendall Sheffield Jersey ,” Kapler told mlb.com after Velasquez’s last start. “The stuff didn’t quite look crisp coming out of his hand. We were talking about it on the bench and wondering if he just wasn’t going to have his stuff.”

Velasquez is 1-0 with a 4.35 ERA in four career starts against the Rockies. He has 23 strikeouts in 20 2/3 innings against the team.

Velasquez will have to deal with a red-hot Trevor Story on Thursday. Colorado’s shortstop extended his hitting streak to seven games on Wednesday night with a 3-for-5 performance that featured two doubles and two RBIs.

Story has had five straight multi-hit games and is hitting .467 during the seven-game streak. The third-year major leaguer has raised his batting average by 27 points and his OPS by 68 points in the last week.

Minneapolis is the northernmost city to host a Super Bowl. Tourism officials are making the most of that as they prepare to welcome visitors to the ”Bold North.” Many activities surrounding Super Bowl will take advantage of Minnesota’s wintry weather, including outdoor concerts, ice sculptures and opportunities for winter sports.

Super Bowl events will be held around the metro area during the week leading up to the Feb. 4 game at U.S. Bank Stadium. The city’s unique skyway system of enclosed footbridges will let visitors get from place to place without going outside. A trip to the Mall of America is also a must-do for those needing retail therapy to escape the cold.

A look at some things to do:

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SUPER FUN

At Super Bowl Experience, the NFL’s interactive theme park, fans can get NFL players’ autographs, play games, take photos with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and more. Super Bowl Experience will be at the Minneapolis Convention Center Jan. 27-Feb. 3. Tickets are $35 ($25, children 12 and under).

The party continues down the street at Super Bowl Live , a 10-day, free outdoor festival and concert series on Nicollet Mall, a five-minute walk from Super Bowl Experience. The concerts, presented by Minnesota music legends Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, will have a distinctly Minnesotan flavor, featuring a Prince tribute and local bands like Soul Asylum, Mint Condition, the Suburbs and others.

A free snowmobile stunt show takes place Feb. 3. The American Birkebeiner International Bridge John Cominsky Jersey , a bridge that’s part of a Wisconsin ski race, is being rebuilt over Nicollet Mall to showcase events like skijoring (cross-country skiers pulled by dogs) and fat-tire bike racing. Nearby, adventure seekers will soar across the Mississippi River on the Bold North Zip Line .

Super Bowl Opening Night will be held in St. Paul, a 15-minute drive from Minneapolis, on Jan. 29 at the Xcel Energy Center. The sold-out event gives fans a chance to see players and coaches. Also starting Jan. 29, fans can see players and celebrities in media interviews on Radio Row, at the Mall of America in nearby Bloomington.

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PLENTY OF PARTIES

Nomadic Entertainment Group is bringing a VIP experience called Nomadic Live! to the refurbished Minneapolis Armory building just blocks from U.S. Bank Stadium. Headliners there include Imagine Dragons, Pink and Jennifer Lopez. Tickets are here . While a traveling venue called Club Nomadic has been cancelled, most of the acts initially scheduled for that venue- including The Chainsmokers, Florida Georgia Line and Gwen Stefani – will now perform inside Mystic Lake Casino Hotel.

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EMBRACE THE BOLD NORTH

Can you try cross-country skiing, ice fishing or even dog sledding? You betcha!

Many state and local parks have cross-country ski rentals , snowshoe rentals or fat-tire biking on winter trails. Local rinks offer ice skating.

Adventurous tourists can head a couple hours out of town to find snowmobile rentals. Snow tubing or downhill skiing and snowboarding are also available within a 90-minute drive. And those who need to cross dog sledding or ice fishing off their bucket lists can find outfitters and fishing guides in northern Minnesota.

St. Paul’s annual Winter Carnival coincides with Super Bowl. The carnival features a 70-foot (21-meter) Ice Palace, live music, ice carvings and more. The Luminary Loppet on Feb. 3 includes an ice pyramid and fire dancers.

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MINNESOTA MUST-DOS

Even hearty Minnesotans need a break from cold weather. One must-do includes a trip to the Mall of America , the nation’s largest entertainment and shopping complex. The mall has roller coasters, restaurants, a sea exhibit and other attractions – and is always 70 degrees F (21 C) inside. The mall is just 11 miles (18 km) from Minneapolis and an easy train ride from downtown or the airport.

Minneapolis and St. Paul have a vibrant art and theater scene. The metro area has more than 50 museums. The Minneapolis Institute of Art Qadree Ollison Jersey , always free, will have an outdoor ice maze from Feb. 1 through Feb. 4. The Science Museum of Minnesota , in St. Paul, is a hit with all ages. Its interactive Sportsology exhibit lets visitors analyze their movements and race against professional athletes.

Fans of the late singer Prince can tour his famed Paisley Park studio, or stop by to see his star, and others, painted outside First Avenue , the Minneapolis nightclub made famous in ”Purple Rain.” Fans can also take a self-guided tour of Prince’s Minneapolis haunts, including his childhood home and high school.

Minnesota’s craft brewery scene is booming, and several breweries in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area can be visited in one afternoon. The Juicy Lucy (or Jucy Lucy) – a hamburger with molten hot cheese oozing out of the middle – is a unique Minnesota specialty worth trying.

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GETTING AROUND

While events surrounding Super Bowl are spread across several cities, the area is relatively compact and easy to navigate by bus, train , taxi or ride services like Uber. One note: The light rail will be open only to Super Bowl ticket holders on game day, as those attending the game will be screened for security off-site en route to U.S. Bank Stadium. Other riders can take free buses along the route. Metro Transit recommends that visitors download its app for real time information or call 612-373-3333 with questions.

Volunteers will be stationed throughout the city, and in the skyway system, to help direct visitors.

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