Rockies, Giants Open Series At Coors Field
(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies continue a nine-game homestand tonight, as they welcome the National League West-rival San Francisco Giants to Coors Field for the start of a three-game set.The Rockies lost five straight games on the road before beginning their current residency with a setback to the Twins. However, Colorado rebounded with two straight wins over Minnesota, including a 6-2 victory on Sunday. Todd Helton homered and drove in three runs in the victory, while Clint Barmes also went deep. Jeff Baker and pitcher Taylor Buchholz added an RBI apiece for Colorado. Barmes now has an 11-game hitting streak on the line and he is hitting a solid .500 over the run. Jeff Francis (1-4) allowed just two runs on six hits, while walking two and fanning seven in 6 1/3 innings to earn his first win of the year. Buchholz finished the seventh and threw a scoreless eighth before Manny Corpas closed things out with a perfect ninth. Jorge De La Rosa starts for the Rockies tonight. He is 1-2 with a 9.42 earned run average in three starts this season, and took a loss last time out after giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings of work in Arizona on Wednesday. The left-hander, who has 15 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings this year, has been beat up for four runs in just 1 2/3 innings of work against the Giants in his career, spanning three games. The Giants will try to get Pat Misch his first career victory in tonight's test. Misch has yet to post a decision in four games (3 starts) this year while pitching to a 5.32 ERA, and in his career is 0-4 with a 4.55 ERA in 23 games (7 starts). He faced Houston on Wednesday and gave up three runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out a season-high six. The 26-year-old left-hander has faced the Rockies twice in relief, posting a 2.08 ERA against them without a decision. The Giants have dropped a season-high tying five straight games for the second time this year, with the other skid coming on May 4-9. San Francisco won three of four between the two losing skids, giving the club a total of 11 losses in its last 14 games. In Sunday's finale with the Chicago White Sox, the Giants were pounded 13-8 to get swept in the three-game set. Ray Durham had three hits and two RBI, while Jose Castillo and Bengie Molina also drove in two runs each. One of the lone bright spots was Randy Winn, who went 1-for-4 with a run scored to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Winn is hitting .358 over that span and .356 with a homer and five RBI in his last 18 games. Tyler Walker (1-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing four hits and three runs in one inning. Matt Cain surrendered six hits, including a career-high tying four homers, and six runs through seven innings in the start. These two clubs met in San Francisco in late April, with the Giants taking two of three over the Rockies.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.





