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Braves-Rockies Preview

Jul 10, 2015 - 9:57 PM Shelby Miller's win-loss record doesn't do justice to how well he's been pitching for the Atlanta Braves and it didn't prevent him from being named to his first All-Star Game.

Besieged by a lack of run support, Miller again seeks his first win in nearly eight weeks Friday night against the Colorado Rockies.

Miller (5-4, 2.07 ERA) has the majors' third-best ERA but has the fewest wins of any pitcher in the top nine of that category. The right-hander has also tossed two shutouts, tying Washington's Max Scherzer for the most in the NL.

He'll join Scherzer at Tuesday's All-Star Game in Cincinnati as the only representative for the Braves (42-44).

"Honestly, when you hear it for the first time, it's pretty awesome," Miller told MLB's official website. "You set goals for yourself every season and this is one of the goals and stepping stones that you want to have at the end of the year.

"I'm just grateful for the opportunity. It's an amazing experience."

The same can't be said of Miller's last nine starts. He has compiled a 2.80 ERA but is 0-3 since he's been backed by seven total runs - none in four straight games.

Miller scattered seven hits with eight strikeouts before leaving with one out in the seventh of Sunday's 4-0 loss in 10 to Philadelphia.

"I'm just trying to go out there and pitch," Miller said. "Whether we score eight runs or one, it doesn't matter. We're just trying to win."

He's 2-0 with a 2.04 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies (36-49).

Miller has held Troy Tulowitzki, Nolan Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez to a combined 1 for 13. However, they enter this matchup hot, totaling seven hits - four doubles - as Colorado beat Atlanta 5-3 in the rain-soaked opener of this four-game set Thursday.

Tulowitzki is hitting .354 during a 21-game hitting streak, the longest in the majors this year. Arenado and Gonzalez, meanwhile, have six hits each in two games.

The Rockies were supposed to send David Hale to the mound for the first time against his former team, but he replaced Thursday's starter Kyle Kendrick after the first inning following a rain delay of 2 hours, 6 minutes.

Hale, however, left with a groin injury after just 1 2-3 scoreless innings.

Colorado didn't name a starter for Friday's contest until hours before the game, going with Gonzalez Germen after acquiring him off waivers from the Cubs three days earlier.

Germen had a 7.50 ERA in six relief appearances with Chicago in April and May before being demoted to Triple-A Iowa, where he posted a 3.78 ERA in 24 games out of the bullpen. The right-hander had a 4.31 ERA in 54 relief appearances for the New York Mets the last two seasons.

Germen has never started in the majors and hasn't started in the minors since 2012.

The Braves' Chris Johnson is a career .389 hitter against the Rockies and is 13 for 24 in his last six matchups after getting three hits Thursday.