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Rockies-Brewers Preview

Apr 6, 2010 - 4:39 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Colorado (0-0) at Milwaukee (0-0), 8:10 p.m. EDT

The Colorado Rockies' long-running dominance of the Milwaukee Brewers is carrying into 2010.

If the Rockies can extend their winning streak over the Brewers to eight games Tuesday night, they'll also start a season with consecutive victories for the first time in nine years.

Last year's NL wild-card winner, Colorado (1-0) has taken 14 of the last 17 meetings with the Brewers (0-1) and seven in a row since falling 11-1 at Milwaukee on July 10, 2008. The Rockies won their fourth straight at Miller Park on Monday, posting a 5-3 win to begin this season-opening three-game set despite a shaky effort from the bullpen.

Five relievers combined to allow two runs and four hits over the final three innings, with Franklin Morales getting the save by forcing two lineouts with a runner on third. Morales is filling in as Colorado's closer with Huston Street on the disabled list due to right shoulder inflammation.

"I wouldn't say it was completely conventional the way we did it," said manager Jim Tracy, whose bullpen's 4.49 ERA last season ranked 13th in the NL even with a healthy Street. "We made some things difficult for ourselves, but if you have plans on being a pretty good ballclub, there are days you have to play through adversity and some mistakes."

The onus could fall on the relievers again Tuesday with Colorado sending Greg Smith to the mound in a spot start for the injured Jeff Francis (sore left shoulder).

Smith hasn't pitched in the majors since he went 7-16 with a 4.16 ERA as a rookie in Oakland's rotation in 2008. The left-hander, acquired with Street from Oakland for Matt Holliday in November 2008, spent last season with three different minor-league affiliates of the Rockies, going 2-3 with a 6.57 ERA in 11 starts before a back injury cut his season short in September.

Smith earned a spot on Tracy's staff by going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in spring training, then entered the rotation when Francis got hurt. He'll now get a chance to help Colorado start a season with two wins for the first time since 2001, when the Rockies opened 3-0.

"It takes a little bit of weight off my shoulders knowing that I'm not on the team just because somebody got hurt," Smith told the team's official Web site. "He told me, 'You've made the team.' Now that Jeff got hurt, I'm just going to slide into the rotation."

Left fielder Carlos Gonzalez - another player the Rockies acquired in the Holliday trade - went 4 for 5 with two runs scored Opening Day. He's batting .467 in four career games at Milwaukee.

Randy Wolf - a pitcher who may be vital to Milwaukee's playoff hopes this season - will make his Brewers debut. Trying to bolster a rotation that posted a 5.37 ERA - tied for the worst in the majors - and yielded an NL-high 145 homers in 2009, Milwaukee signed the veteran left-hander to a three-year, $29.75 million contact in the offseason.

"I know the people are down on the pitchers who were here, but there are guys who can pitch," said Wolf, who went 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA while helping Los Angeles win the NL West. "It was an off-year, obviously, but if things go back to normal for those guys, I think I can help this staff."

Wolf had a 2.96 ERA in four starts against Colorado last season, but just a 1-1 record to show for it after getting nine total runs of support.

Milwaukee left 11 runners on base Monday, going 2 for 12 with men in scoring position.