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Diamondbacks-Rockies Preview

May 24, 2010 - 7:34 PM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Arizona (20-25) at Colorado (22-22), 8:40 p.m. EDT

The Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies may be the two teams at the bottom of the NL West, but the next two weeks could bring major changes to the tight division race.

The Diamondbacks and Rockies each begin a 12-game stretch against division opponents when they open a three-game series Tuesday night at Coors Field.

Arizona (20-25) is last in the division, 2 1/2 games behind fourth-place Colorado (22-22), which trails first-place San Diego by four.

The next two weeks could be key for these teams, as they're slated to face division foes in all 12 games - meeting each other six times.

Arizona's stretch begins with a nine-game trip through Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles before returning home June 4 to host the Rockies.

Colorado will host the Dodgers this weekend before going to San Francisco to open a six-game trip Monday.

"It's going to be a fun road trip," Diamondbacks manager A.J. Hinch told the team's official website. "It's challenging, it's tough - it's cities, some we've played well in, some we haven't, some a mixture of both.

"Nine games of we're going to need to play good to win. There are no easy places to play on the road in our division. I like going to these cities, we're very familiar with these teams."

Arizona, 7-10 against division opponents, took two of three at Colorado from April 26-28.

The Diamondbacks are trying to re-establish some momentum after falling 12-4 to Toronto on Sunday to cap a 4-1 homestand.

They'll give Ian Kennedy (3-2, 3.24 ERA), the team's ERA leader, his first start against the Rockies as he looks to build on one of his best performances of the season.

The right-hander struck out a career-high nine while yielding one run and three hits in eight innings of a 13-1 win over San Francisco on Wednesday.

He's reached at least the seventh inning in each of his last six games, going 3-1 with a 2.45 ERA.

Colorado, 7-8 against the West, returns home looking to build on an offensive outburst and extend its winning streak there to four.

The Rockies finished a 3-4 trip in impressive fashion Sunday, forcing reigning AL Cy Young winner Zack Greinke to exit after 3 1-3 innings en route to an 11-7 win over Kansas City. It was the first time in eight games Colorado scored more than four runs, and the club is hitting .234 in that stretch.

The Rockies are second in the NL with a .288 average at home.

"To beat a guy like that is a huge confidence booster," said first baseman Jason Giambi, who went 3 for 6 with a homer and four RBIs Sunday. "It's going to be great for us, especially offensively, to go up there loose, instead of fighting to get loose to swing the bat all the time."

Colorado will turn to Jhoulys Chacin (2-2, 3.12), who has a 7.59 ERA while losing his last two starts after winning the previous two with 14 1-3 scoreless innings.

The rookie right-hander struggled with his command last Tuesday, walking five while allowing three runs in 5 2-3 innings of a 6-2 road loss to the Chicago Cubs.