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Rockies-Mets Preview

Jul 27, 2009 - 12:37 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Colorado (53-44) at New York (45-51), 7:10 p.m. EDT

The New York Mets' previously dormant offense resurfaced over the weekend, but they'll need more than just a brief resurgence from their lineup to make a playoff push.

The Colorado Rockies, meanwhile, find themselves in postseason position thanks to their pitching.

The Rockies' staff has been outstanding thus far in the second half, and the NL wild-card leaders need their pitching to stay strong on a critical 10-game road trip that begins Monday night with the first of four against the Mets.

Colorado (54-44) had a 4.34 ERA in the season's first half that ranked among the bottom third in the majors, but the pitching staff has picked it up after the All-Star break. The Rockies have a 3.03 ERA in 10 games since July 16, including a 2.85 ERA from their starters.

Eight of their 10 starts have been quality outings after Aaron Cook allowed two runs over seven innings Sunday in a 4-2 win over San Francisco, pushing Colorado to a two-game lead over the Giants in the wild-card race.

"We leave here feeling very good about ourselves," manager Jim Tracy said.

A few days ago, a series against the Mets (46-51) would have seemed to give the Rockies the perfect opponent to continue their impressive stretch of starts, but New York's lineup broke out of a prolonged funk over the weekend.

The Mets averaged 7.3 runs and 12.7 hits in taking two of three in Houston, capped with an 8-3 win Sunday that snapped New York's six-series road losing streak heading into a 10-game homestand.

Luis Castillo had seven hits in 12 at-bats (.583) and scored five runs while David Wright went 4 for 11 with a homer and four RBIs, but the Mets' biggest star in the series was Jeff Francoeur. The outfielder, acquired earlier this month from Atlanta, had a homer and seven RBIs in the series and is hitting .364 (12 for 33) since July 18.

"From the coaches to the players, they've instilled a confidence in me," Francoeur said. "I feel comfortable at the plate, I feel that I'm going to be able to get a hit."

Francoeur, however, has been anything but productive against Ubaldo Jimenez (7-9, 3.85 ERA), who will start Monday for Colorado. He's 0 for 10 in his career versus the Rockies' right-hander.

Jimenez and the rest of Colorado's staff will have their work cut out for them in the club's first visit to Citi Field, though. The Rockies have lost six consecutive series on the road against the Mets and 18 of 20 games overall, getting outscored 110-54.

Jimenez has held opponents to a .207 average over his last six starts, but he's just 1-3 with a 4.12 ERA. He didn't factor in the decision Wednesday against Arizona, allowing three runs and five hits over six innings in a 4-3 win.

The 25-year-old has made two starts against the Mets - both coming last season - and went 1-1 with a 2.57 ERA. He allowed only nine hits in 14 innings but walked eight.

A lack of control has been a bigger issue for New York's Oliver Perez (2-3, 7.68), who's walked 38 in 38 2-3 innings. He gave up just four hits in six innings Tuesday at Washington, but six walks contributed to four runs in a 4-0 loss.

"Oliver has been battling that his whole career," Wright told the Mets' official Web site. "... He shoots himself in the foot sometimes."

Perez was 0-0 with a 4.09 ERA in two starts against Colorado last season, walking 14 in 11 innings.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins is 5 for 10 with two homers, six RBIs and four walks against Perez.