GAME DAY

The Rockies were leading the Milwaukee Brewers 2-0 after three innings at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix when the skies opened and the combination of heavy rain and hail caused the game to be called.

HARD CONTACT

John Mabry, competing with Alexis Gomez and Ryan Spilborghs for the final spot on the Rockies bench, hit a home run on an 0-2 pitch from Carlos Villanueva with two out in the first inning. Mabry has hit two homers in Cactus League games, along with this one that won't count in the spring training statistics.

STRANGE DOINGS

Mabry, 36, has learned to prepare to play and not worry about counterproductive matters such as roster decisions. A series of events early in his career gave Mabry his first Opening Day appearance in 1995 and a lesson about matters beyond his control.

"Tim Hulett pulled a hamstring in an exhibition game," Mabry said. "Todd Zeile caught a line drive that broke his hand. Bernard Gilkey was either sick or tweaked something before an exhibition game in St. Louis, so they inserted Allen Battle, a right-handed hitting outfielder against (Houston left-hander) Mike Hampton. Battle gets hurt in batting practice. They put me in left field against Hampton, and I ended up going 3-for-5."

Mabry said after the game Cardinals manager Joe Torre asked Mabry if he had played first base. Mabry said he hadn't but was told he would open the regular season at first base the next night against Philadelphia, a team stacked with left-handed hitters.

"I got the first hit of the year for the Cardinals, a single on a hanging split up the middle through (Curt) Schilling's legs," Mabry said.