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Rockies-Padres Preview

May 5, 2010 - 6:42 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Colorado (13-14) at San Diego (17-10), 10:05 p.m. EDT

Aaron Cook's road struggles from the end of last season have carried over to this one. Facing the San Diego Padres could help him turn things around.

Looking to continue his dominance over the Padres, the Colorado right-hander again goes for his first victory away from home Wednesday night as the Rockies try to win their first road series of 2010.

Cook (1-3, 5.52 ERA) has been a different pitcher in 2010 depending on where he pitches. In the familiar surroundings of Coors Field, Cook is 1-0 with a 2.40 ERA in two starts. Away from home, he's 0-3 with an 8.79 ERA.

"Not fun," said Cook, who gave up five runs and five walks in six innings of a 5-2 loss at San Francisco on Friday for his fifth consecutive road defeat dating to last season.

Cook, however, has a chance to end that skid against San Diego (17-10).

Though the Padres are the surprise leaders in the NL West and rallied to even the series with a 3-2 win Tuesday, Cook is 13-4 with a 2.33 ERA in 21 starts against them. He's 3-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his last five at Petco Park.

The Rockies (13-14) hope Cook can continue that success as they try to win their first road series since taking two of three at Arizona from Sept. 18-20. Colorado, which won 5-2 in the series opener Monday, is 6-9 away from Coors Field this season.

Despite their history against Cook, the Padres should have some momentum heading into the finale after scoring twice in the final two innings to erase a 2-1 Colorado lead Tuesday.

Chase Headley, who's 5 for 13 lifetime against Cook, delivered the game-winning hit with two outs in the bottom of the ninth for the Padres' sixth win in eight games.

"We have a lot of good hitters this year, including Chase who is having a really good year," Padres' closer Heath Bell said of Headley, who's batting .327 overall, and is 9 for 21 in five games against the Rockies this season.

After Wade LeBlanc gave up two runs in six solid innings Tuesday, the Padres hope Clayton Richard (1-2, 3.00) can build on his first win of the season when he takes the ball in this contest.

The left-hander allowed four runs and tied a career high with eight strikeouts in six innings of a 3-0 win over Milwaukee on Friday.

"We have been pitching well as a unit and I think it's contagious," Richard said of a San Diego staff that's among the major league leaders with a 2.81 ERA. "You don't want to be the guy to screw it up."

Richard is 0-1 with a 4.00 ERA in three starts versus the Rockies. The loss came after he gave up three runs in seven innings of a 7-0 defeat at Colorado on April 9.

Todd Helton had two hits with an RBI and Carlos Gonzalez drove in a run Tuesday for the Rockies, who had won two in row after losing three straight.

Helton is 3 for 7 in the series and 4 for 8 lifetime against Richard.