• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Mariners-Rockies Preview

Jun 12, 2009 - 5:30 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Seattle (30-30) at Colorado (28-32), 9:10 p.m. EDT

The Colorado Rockies have played more road games than any other team in the majors. Based on the results of their just-completed trip, now might not be the best time for their schedule to start balancing out.

The Rockies look to ride the momentum from their longest road winning streak in more than a decade into a nine-game homestand as they go for their ninth straight victory Friday night in the opener of a three-game interleague series against the Seattle Mariners.

Colorado (28-32) finished an 11-game road trip with eight straight wins. It's the Rockies longest overall winning streak since an 11-game run in September 2007 and their longest on the road since they won eight straight in April 1997.

Aaron Cook held Milwaukee to one run over six innings and Paul Phillips drove in two runs with an eighth-inning double in a 5-4 victory Thursday.

"I think we should just go straight to Seattle," Cook said.

Instead, the Rockies will have to put their winning streak on the line at Coors Field, where they're 9-14. They've already played 37 games on the road, going 19-18.

Manager Jim Tracy, who's 10-4 since taking over for the fired Clint Hurdle on May 29, is confident his club can keep playing at a high level.

"Now we have to take this home with us to our fans and get our house in order," Tracy said. "Because we're a much better team at home than 9-14."

The Rockies are 9-13 against the Mariners, whom they last faced in 2006.

Seattle (30-30) has won four of five after defeating Baltimore 6-3 on Thursday night. Russell Branyan drove in three runs, including two with a 450-foot home run in the seventh inning, his team-high 14th of the year. The 33-year-old journeyman is batting .375 with six homers, 12 RBIs and 15 runs scored over his last 24 games.

Branyan hopes to continue his hot streak behind Seattle starter Jarrod Washburn (3-4, 3.07 ERA), who's winless over his last three starts despite allowing two runs over 19 innings.

Washburn held Minnesota to one run in six innings in a 2-1 victory Saturday. The Mariners had dropped the left-hander's previous seven starts even though Washburn had a solid 3.95 ERA in that stretch.

"I don't care if I get the win or not. I like us to win," Washburn said. "I don't care if it's me, but it was getting pretty frustrating every time I pitch and we lose."

Washburn is 1-0 with a 3.15 ERA in four games - three starts - against Colorado.

Ubaldo Jimenez (4-6, 3.91) will take the ball for the Rockies. The right-hander has delivered seven quality starts in his last eight outings, including a 7-2 win at St. Louis on Sunday in which he held the Cardinals to two runs and four hits while striking out nine in eight innings.

Jimenez, who's 2-2 with a 4.38 ERA at Coors Field, has never faced Seattle.