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The
Colorado Rockies
have won two vastly different games to start their four-game set against the
San Diego Padres
.
They'll try to make it three straight over the NL West leaders Saturday when the teams meet at Coors Field.
Colorado (49-53) opened the series by rallying for a 9-8, 10-inning victory on Thursday that ended San Diego's four-game winning
streak. The Rockies needed a two-out tying homer in the bottom of the ninth from
Yorvit Torrealba
to stay alive.
They beat the Padres (54-49) for a second straight game Friday behind a strong effort from starter Byung-Hyun Kim in a 3-1
victory. Kim allowed an unearned run and five hits over 7 2-3 innings as the Rockies improved to 7-4 this season against the
Padres.
Matt Holliday
homered and drove in two runs to help Colorado win for the fifth time in 15 games Friday. Holliday is 10-for-28 in the Rockies'
wins over the Padres this year.
Colorado has pulled within 4 1/2 games of San Diego with the two victories.
''It's a challenge but it's an opportunity,'' Rockies manager
Clint Hurdle
said. ''We look forward to playing.''
Colorado starter
Jeff Francis
(8-8, 3.69) is trying to win for the first time in three starts against San Diego this year. He's 0-2 with a 4.63 ERA thus
far, giving up eight runs - six earned - in 11 2-3 innings.
The left-hander posted his first two major league wins against the Padres in 2004. However, he's just 1-5 with a 6.27 ERA
in his last six starts against them.
Francis has pitched well over his last five outings, going 3-1 with a 1.87 ERA. He had a two-hitter for his first career shutout
in his last outing, a 7-0 victory Monday over St. Louis in which he retired the first 15 batters before allowing a bloop single
to start the sixth inning.
''There's a lot of anxiety involved when you have something going like that. When that ball dropped, it's almost a relief,''
Francis said. ''You know, just concentrate on winning the game and that load comes off your shoulders.''
San Diego's
Mike Cameron
and
Mike Piazza
are both 0-for-6 lifetime against Francis.
Cameron received a scheduled day off Friday after going 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in the series opener. The center fielder
is hitless in his last 21 at-bats against the Rockies.
Piazza also did not start Friday, flying out as a pinch-hitter for the game's final out. The veteran catcher is 9-for-24 (.375)
on the Padres' 11-game road trip.
''It's the time of year when a lot of teams start to realize they're out of it and lose a little drive,'' Piazza said. ''We've
got to keep pushing.''
Padres starter
Chris Young
(8-4, 3.64) is unbeaten in his last 18 starts on the road, including all nine in his first season with San Diego. Young is
7-0 with a 3.33 ERA during his unbeaten run and hasn't lost on the road since June 20, 2005, when pitching for the
Texas Rangers
against the
Los Angeles Angels
.
Young pitched well in his last start at the
Los Angeles Dodgers
on Monday, giving up three runs and four hits over six innings in a 7-6, 11-inning victory by the Padres.
The 6-foot-10 right-hander is 2-0 with a 2.66 ERA in three starts this year against the Rockies and is carrying a nine-inning
scoreless streak against them into this game.
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