Final
  for this game

Mariners-Rockies Preview

Jun 14, 2009 - 5:40 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Seattle (30-32) at Colorado (30-32), 3:10 p.m. EDT

The last time the Colorado Rockies won 11 games in a row, they set a franchise record and ended up in the World Series.

They'll attempt to match that impressive winning streak Sunday by completing a three-game interleague series sweep of the Seattle Mariners.

The Rockies (30-32) extended their winning streak to 10 games Saturday when Chris Iannetta drove in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning of a 5-3 win over the Mariners (30-32). They opened this series by rallying for a 6-4 victory Friday.

"What's happening now, I saw back in February," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, now 12-4 since replacing the fired Clint Hurdle on May 29. "I saw the talent of these players that are young, but whose capabilities don't surprise me at all."

"This is a young team, but it is surrounded by two very professional people in Todd Helton and Brad Hawpe," Tracy said. "They delivered some big hits and those younger kids are feeding off of those guys."

Colorado is now in position to match its team record 11-game winning streak from Sept. 16-27, 2007, en route to winning the wild-card spot and advancing to its first World Series appearance under Hurdle.

"We're different from that team," said Helton, who had two hits and an RBI on Saturday. "It's a different year with a different group of guys."

This team is outscoring opponents 66-27 during the current streak, while posting a .288 average with 15 homers and a 2.70 ERA.

Jason Hammel (3-3, 4.33), who has won both of his starts during the surge, will now attempt to win a fourth consecutive decision while getting his first victory at home.

The right-hander is 3-0 with a 3.97 ERA in his last four starts, but that stretch includes a rough outing at Coors Field on May 30 when he was tagged for six runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings of an 8-7 win over San Diego.

Hammel is 0-2 with an 8.53 ERA in five home games - four starts.

"Whether or not it's on the road or at home, I haven't changed my approach," Hammel told the Rockies' official Web site. "I'd like to figure it out because I'd like to win a game at home once in a while."

Hammel was impressive again as the visitor on Tuesday, allowing two runs and five hits with five strikeouts in six innings of a 3-2 win at Milwaukee on Tuesday.

He has no record with a 3.86 ERA in two games - one start - against Seattle.

The Rockies last swept a series from the Mariners during a two-game set from Aug. 28-29, 1997.

The Mariners will turn to Jason Vargas (2-1, 2.35), who is looking to rebound from his first loss after going 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA in his previous seven games - five starts.

Seattle had won the left-hander's previous four starts before being reached for a season-high three runs and seven hits in 5 2-3 innings of a 3-1 loss at Baltimore on Tuesday.

"I didn't really feel the greatest out there," Vargas said. "I felt I could have done a lot more. I felt I could have taken them a longer into the ball game."

Vargas is 0-1 with a 19.06 ERA in two starts against the Rockies and took the loss with New York in his last meeting against them at Denver in 2007.








  • ML
    FINAL
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    SEATTLE 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 1
    COLORADO 0 1 1 0 5 0 0 0 x 7 14 0 (FINAL)

    BATTERIES: SEA - JASON VARGAS, ROY CORCORAN (5TH), MIGUEL BATISTA (7TH) AND
    GUILLERMO QUIROZ
    COL - JASON HAMMEL, JOSH FOGG (6TH), ALAN EMBREE (8TH),
    JOEL PERALTA (9TH) AND CH

    Jun 14 6:41 PM
  • savbyroy Game has been suspended due to a funnel cloud sighting near the stadium.... Our weather's been crazy!

    Mariners 1, Rockies 7  Top 6, 0 OutsJun 14 5:23 PM


  • ML
    AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY DEXTER FOWLER SCORED CHRIS IANNETTA.
    SITUATION: 5 RUNS IN, D FOWLER ON SECOND, 2 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: SEATTLE 1
    COLORADO 7 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: C BARMES (.291, 2-FOR-3)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 7  Bot 5, 0 OutsJun 14 4:46 PM
  • alacy52 This streak goes to 11.

    Mariners 1, Rockies 6  Bot 5, 0 OutsJun 14 4:43 PM


  • ML
    AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY CHRIS IANNETTA SCORED GARRETT ATKINS, BRAD HAWPE
    AND TROY TULOWITZKI.
    SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, C IANNETTA ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: SEATTLE 1
    COLORADO 6 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: J HAMMEL (.059, 1-FOR-2)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 6  Bot 5, 0 OutsJun 14 4:42 PM


  • ML
    AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
    DOUBLE BY BRAD HAWPE SCORED TODD HELTON.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B HAWPE ON SECOND, G ATKINS ON THIRD, 0 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: SEATTLE 1
    COLORADO 3 BOTTOM, 5TH
    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: R SPILBORGHS (.261, 1-FOR-2)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 3  Bot 5, 0 OutsJun 14 4:39 PM


  • ML
    AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
    SINGLE BY TODD HELTON SCORED CLINT BARMES.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, T HELTON ON FIRST, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: SEATTLE 1
    COLORADO 2 BOTTOM, 3RD
    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: G ATKINS (.192, 0-FOR-1)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 2  Bot 3, 0 OutsJun 14 4:04 PM


  • ML
    AT COLORADO - SCORING UPDATE
    SACRIFICE FLY BY TROY TULOWITZKI SCORED BRAD HAWPE.
    SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, R SPILBORGHS ON SECOND, 1 OUT
    CURRENT SCORE: SEATTLE 1
    COLORADO 1 BOTTOM, 2ND
    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: C IANNETTA (.219, 8 HR, 19 RBI)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 1  Bot 2, 0 OutsJun 14 3:47 PM


  • ML
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
    - - - - - - - - - - - -
    SEATTLE 1 1 2 0
    COLORADO 0 0 0 (BOT 1)

    CURRENT PITCHERS: SEA - JASON VARGAS
    COL - JASON HAMMEL

    DUE UP FOR COLORADO: D FOWLER (.255, 3 HR, 14 RBI)
    C BARMES (.286, 6 HR, 30 RBI)
    T HELTON (.310, 7 HR, 44 RBI)

    Mariners 1, Rockies 0  Bot 1, 0 OutsJun 14 3:25 PM