SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Rockies lefty reliever Chris Rusin has upper-back ¡°discomfort¡± that has kept him off the Cactus League mound for 12 days, but he threw a side session Wednesday and hopes to be ready for the regular season.

¡°Just a little discomfort, and they wanted to take it slow,¡± Rusin said. ¡°I¡¯m feeling good. ... I don¡¯t know what the plan is as we move forward. I¡¯ve been on the mound a couple times [since last pitching in a Cactus League game]. Hopefully, I can be ready for the start of the season. That¡¯s the plan.¡±

Rusin missed action twice in 2018, with a right intercostal muscle injury in April and with plantar fasciitis in his right foot in late July. His overall numbers were subpar: a 2-3 record, 6.09 ERA and 47 strikeouts to 26 walks in 54 2/3 innings. However, he pitched well for the team at the end of the season, and earned a postseason roster spot.

Generally, Rusin has been durable, but injuries have tended to crop up during Spring Training for him -- left middle finger inflammation in 2016, and a right oblique strain in '17, for example. But in '16, he threw 84 1/3 relief innings, and in '17, he led the National League with 85 relief innings, going 5-1 with a 2.65 ERA and 71 strikeouts against 19 walks.

¡°He can come in and get a tough lefty, then he can bounce back the next night and go three innings,¡± Rockies manager Bud Black said. ¡°His flexibility in roles; his resiliency as a reliever [make him] a part of our bullpen that¡¯s invaluable.¡±

Past Spring Training injuries have been more an annoyance than a cause for concern.

¡°I don¡¯t know what the deal is with my body in spring, but usually, I¡¯m fit for the whole season,¡± said Rusin, who has given up three runs on four hits, including a homer, in his two Cactus League games. ¡°I just have to get through what I go through in Spring Training.¡±

The projected bullpen has three lefties: Rusin, Mike Dunn and Jake McGee. If Rusin is not available, it could open the way for lefty Harrison Musgrave, who has a 3.00 ERA in six innings over four Cactus League appearances.

But some righties have a chance.

D.J. Johnson has four strikeouts against three hits in 6 1/3 scoreless innings. Carlos Est¨¦vez has a 1.69 ERA with nine strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Yency Almonte has a 10.38 spring ERA, but is buoyed by confidence after pulling out a strikeout after entering with runners at first and third in his last outing.

A wild card could be righty rotation competitor Antonio Senzatela (2-0, 5.14 ERA in three starts and seven innings), who has made 26 relief appearances over his first two Major League seasons.

Senzatela sickness
Senzatela was scratched from a scheduled throwing session Tuesday, and didn¡¯t throw on Wednesday because of a stomach virus.

Beginning to look a lot like baseball
Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story homered in Wednesday¡¯s 5-3 victory over the D-backs. The lineup, down to starting pitcher Kyle Freeland, could be what Black authors on Opening Day -- March 28 at Miami.

¡°It gives you a little excitement; a little preview -- it¡¯s cool to think about,¡± Story said.

Blackmon¡¯s first homer of the spring came after a number of solid at-bats with little to show.

¡°I feel like I¡¯m doing a good job of swinging at the right pitches, and staying loose and relaxed in the box, and that¡¯s been my focus the first few weeks of camp,¡± Blackmon said. ¡°The last few weeks I¡¯ll try to be a good hitter.¡±

David Dahl was 3-for-3 with two doubles. Beyond the homers, the Rockies¡¯ best offense came in the fourth with Story¡¯s single, Dahl¡¯s RBI double, Ian Desmond¡¯s move-the-runner grounder and Ryan McMahon¡¯s sacrifice fly.

Back in the groove
Freeland¡¯s last start was scratched because of a stomach flu. After he gave up a second-inning, two-run homer to Matt Szczur to fall behind, 3-0, Freeland retired the next nine, recording five of his six total strikeouts in that span.

¡°Whenever that happens, it lights a fire under you -- no one likes getting taken deep,¡± Freeland said. ¡°It had to happen sometime. That was the first one I gave up this Spring Training. I¡¯m glad it did happen, and got it over with.¡±

¡¯Pen points
Closer Wade Davis (one hit) and lefty Mike Dunn (two strikeouts) continued scoreless springs. Dunn has seven strikeouts and no walks in five innings. ¡­ Righty Seunghwan Oh threw a scoreless inning in his best outing since a stiff neck began affecting him. In a clean inning, righty Bryan Shaw showed sharper movement on his cutter. ¡­ Righty setup man Scott Oberg completed the save by dashing from the mound to make a barehand play on Tim Locastro¡¯s roller.

Up next
Righty Jeff Hoffman¡¯s attempt to force his way into the rotation -- he is 1-1, 3.60 in four games, with one start -- continues against the Indians and righty Shane Bieber on Thursday at Goodyear. Game time is 2:05 p.m. MDT. Righty German Marquez will pitch in a Minor League game.