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Rockies-Padres Preview

May 4, 2010 - 6:39 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Colorado (13-13) at San Diego (16-10), 10:05 p.m. EDT

The San Diego Padres' lineup couldn't solve the Colorado Rockies' emerging ace in their series opener, and they lost for the third time in four games this season to their NL West rivals.

Fortunately for San Diego, no opposing team has had an answer for Wade LeBlanc.

LeBlanc hasn't allowed a run in consecutive starts, and he'll look to continue his surprising success Tuesday night at Petco Park and help the Padres bounce back from being dominated by Colorado's Ubaldo Jimenez.

Jimenez was arguably the most dominant starter in baseball through five outings, and he didn't disappoint in start No. 6. The right-hander gave up one run and struck out 13 Padres in a 5-2 victory Monday to become the majors' first pitcher to reach six wins.

"He's become such a big-game pitcher, and he always knows where he's at," manager Jim Tracy said. "... He's grown right before our eyes. He's becoming quite a force."

While Jimenez, whose scoreless streak of 25 1-3 innings ended in the fourth inning, has already enjoyed some major league success, LeBlanc (2-0, 0.52 ERA) is just now trying to establish himself.

The left-hander shuffled between San Diego (16-10) and Triple-A Portland over the past two seasons, and he began 2010 in the minors despite going 4-0 with a 1.96 ERA in spring training.

But LeBlanc is now succeeding in the majors after Chris Young's injury gave him a chance. He gave up three hits over six innings April 24 in a 5-0 win at Cincinnati, then held Milwaukee to eight hits over 6 1-3 innings - striking out six - in a 9-0 victory Thursday.

LeBlanc's scoreless streak is at 16 2-3 innings, with the only run he's allowed coming in the first inning of his first start.

"When he came up (originally), he wasn't quite ready," manager Bud Black told the Padres' official website. " ... I don't think he understood a starting pitcher has to throw fastballs in the strike zone."

Not only is LeBlanc pitching well, he's helping himself out. He had three hits Thursday and is 4 for 6 overall.

LeBlanc gave up four runs over six innings in an 11-5 win at Colorado on Sept. 15, 2008, his only start against the Rockies.

After another brilliant outing from Jimenez on Monday, Colorado (13-13) turns to a pitcher who was anything but in his last start. Greg Smith (1-2, 7.33) gave up six runs and four hits - walking three - while lasting just one inning Wednesday against Arizona.

He was let off the hook as the Rockies rallied to take an 11-5 lead before ultimately losing 12-11 in 10 innings.

"You always want to get ahead," Smith told the Rockies' official website. "But once I fell behind I was thinking, 'Throw a strike.' My approach needs to be throw a quality strike. It's the fine-tuning of the strikes and not falling behind to begin with."

Smith has never faced the Padres.

While San Diego's Adrian Gonzalez is 2 for 17 over his past five games, the last week couldn't have gone much better for Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez. The Rockies' left fielder is hitting .385 with two homers and 12 RBIs in his last seven games.