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Padres-Rockies Preview

Sep 22, 2009 - 5:30 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

San Diego (68-82) at Colorado (85-65), 8:40 p.m. EDT

Coming off a losing road trip, the Colorado Rockies can't complain about the situation they find themselves in with two weeks left in the season.

With blossoming ace Jorge De La Rosa on the mound, the wild-card leading Rockies look for a third straight victory Tuesday night when they open their final homestand against the San Diego Padres.

Colorado (85-65) won 5-1 at Arizona on Sunday to conclude a 4-5 road trip that began by losing two of three each at San Diego and San Francisco.

Despite their overall record on the trip, the Rockies have won three of their last four and own a four-game wild-card lead over San Francisco. Colorado is 45-27 at home, where it will now play nine games against the surging Padres, NL Central-leading St. Louis and Milwaukee before finishing the regular season with three games at NL West leader Los Angeles.

"We go back home with nine of our final 12 games left at home," manager Jim Tracy said. "You've got to feel pretty doggone good about that."

Tracy should feel good about having De La Rosa (15-9, 4.17 ERA) take the ball. The left-hander is 15-3 with a 3.48 ERA in his last 19 starts.

De La Rosa, who's tied with Jason Marquis for the team lead in wins, allowed three hits and struck out nine over eight scoreless innings in a 4-3 win at San Francisco on Wednesday.

"That was as good a game as he has pitched I'll guarantee you in his career," Tracy said of De La Rosa, who improved to 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 27 strikeouts in four September starts.

Four of De La Rosa's five career starts against San Diego have come this season, during which he's 0-1 with a 3.91 ERA versus the Padres. Colorado is 9-6 in the season series.

While De La Rosa is one big contributor in Colorado's push toward the postseason, Jason Giambi has also had a major impact during his short tenure with the Rockies.

Used primarily as a pinch-hitter since signing a minor-league deal with Colorado on Aug. 24, Giambi homered for the second time Sunday and is 6 for 15 with 11 RBIs in 12 games for his new team.

Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki had his home run streak snapped at four games, but had a pair of hits Sunday and is batting .448 with five homers and six RBIs in his last eight contests. Tulowitzki, however, is 0 for 5 against Padres scheduled starter Edward Mujica (3-4, 3.36).

Used mostly as a reliever, Mujica makes his third straight start. The right-hander has a 3.86 ERA, but has not received a decision in two starts this year.

He allowed two runs in 4 2-3 innings of a 6-5, 10-inning victory over Arizona on Wednesday. Mujica gave up two hits in four scoreless innings of a 4-1 loss to the Rockies on Sept. 11, his only start against them.

Chase Headley had a career-high five hits and Adrian Gonzalez hit his career-best 39th homer in San Diego's 11-6, 11-inning win at Pittsburgh on Monday.

The Padres have won three in a row and are 31-20 since July 28 - the third-best record in the NL over that span.

"We've got some ability on this team, and guys are starting to get some confidence," Headley said.

Gonzalez is batting .320 with four home runs and 11 RBIs against Colorado this season.