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Aug 1, 2009 - 4:14 AM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

Colorado (55-47) at Cincinnati (45-56), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Hours after acquiring five-time All-Star third baseman Scott Rolen at the trade deadline, the Cincinnati Reds again exhibited why team management felt that move needed to be made.

The Reds hope Rolen can make his Cincinnati debut as they try to avoid their 11th loss in 12 games Saturday night in the middle of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Cincinnati (45-57) is near the bottom of the majors with 4.00 runs scored per game and a .244 batting average. The Reds have been especially bad offensively over the last two weeks, averaging 3.27 runs and batting .193 while dropping 10 of 11.

The Reds hope the 34-year-old Rolen can help them snap out of that funk. Acquired for Edwin Encarnacion and two young pitchers Friday, the 1997 NL Rookie of the Year was batting .320 with eight home runs and 43 RBIs in 88 games with Toronto.

Besides his success at the plate, Rolen has been awarded seven Gold Gloves and won a World Series ring with St. Louis in 2006.

"He will bring a lot to this ballclub that's been lacking," said Reds general manager Walt Jocketty, who used to run the Cardinals. "He brings leadership. He's a veteran. I think he'll add a lot to this club. And he's still playing well. He's a good RBI man and a Gold Glove at third base."

The Reds could have used Rolen's bat in the series opener Friday night. They totaled seven hits and went 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position in the 5-3 defeat.

Colorado (56-47) managed only six hits, but two of them were solo homers on consecutive pitches in the eighth inning. Chris Iannetta broke a 3-all tie with his 12th homer and Carlos Gonzalez added an insurance run as the Rockies won their second consecutive game after dropping the first three on a 10-game road trip.

Iannetta, who drove in two runs, was 1 for 9 on the trip before his home run. He came into the game hitting .225.

"It has been a struggle this year," said the 26-year-old catcher, who hit .264 with 18 homers in 2008. "Sometimes, I feel good, and sometimes, I don't. I keep waiting for the day that I turn it around and contribute to the offense."

Iannetta hopes he can contribute more behind Ubaldo Jimenez (7-9, 3.85 ERA), who will take the mound hoping to deliver his fifth consecutive quality start. The right-hander held the New York Mets to three runs and six hits in seven innings Monday before the Colorado bullpen struggled late in a 7-3 defeat.

Jimenez is 1-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two career starts against the Reds, both last season. Joey Votto, hitting .340 on the season, is 2 for 5 with a double and a walk against him.

The Reds will hand the ball to Homer Bailey (2-2, 6.87), who got the decision in Cincinnati's lone win in its last 11 games.

The right-hander rebounded from two bad starts with a career high-tying 7 1-3 innings against San Diego on Monday. He gave up three runs and six hits in the 6-4 victory, his first in five outings since June 27.

Bailey lost his only previous start against Colorado on July 26 of last season, giving up five runs and a career-high 15 hits in 4 2-3 innings of a 5-1 defeat.