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Diamondbacks-Rockies Preview

May 27, 2010 - 5:24 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Arizona (20-26) at Colorado (23-22), 3:10 p.m. EDT

Colorado is on the verge of sweeping its first series of the season. However, it must get by Arizona's Dan Haren to accomplish that feat.

The Rockies look to extend their season high winning streak to five games with a rare home win over Haren and the Diamondbacks on Thursday.

After Ubaldo Jimenez continued his dominance with six strong innings in a 7-3 win over Arizona on Wednesday, Colorado (24-22) is in position to for its first series sweep since winning three in a row against Milwaukee from Sept. 29-Oct. 1.

Seth Smith homered twice for the Rockies, who have scored at least seven runs in two of their last four games.

Troy Tulowitzki doubled to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. He's batting .342 during that span, and is 7 for 18 with four doubles and eight runs in five games against the Diamondbacks in 2010.

While Colorado was able to provide more than enough offense for Jimenez to record his major league-leading ninth win, the Rockies hope to get the best of Haren (5-3, 4.79 ERA) at Coors Field.

The Arizona right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.08 ERA in 12 starts against the Rockies, including 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA in six at Colorado. He allowed two runs and struck out 10 in eight innings of a 5-3 win at Coors on April 26.

In his last start, Haren avoided a third straight loss by giving up four runs and striking out eight in eight innings of an 8-6 win over Toronto on Friday. He also had two doubles and three RBIs.

Looking to avoid a fourth consecutive loss, Arizona (20-27) might need to get its offense on track to help Haren continue his success in Denver.

Mark Reynolds hit a three-run homer in the ninth Wednesday for the Diamondbacks, who have totaled nine runs during their three-game skid and dropped the first two of a nine-game trip.

"It's not how you draw it up to start," manager A.J. Hinch told the Diamondbacks' official website. "We need to pick up the pieces and come out and salvage something in this series."

Reynolds is batting .232 this season, but .333 with two homers and nine RBIs in his last six games. However, he's 1 for 8 against Colorado's scheduled starter Jason Hammel.

Hammel (1-3, 7.52) is expected to take the ball even though he's still bothered by a right groin strain.

Making his second start since coming off the disabled list with the injury, Hammel said it affected him while he gave up five runs in 6 2-3 innings of a 9-2 loss at Kansas City on Friday.

"I expected it to flare up a little bit, but not as much as it was from pitch one," Hammel said. "It tightened up midway through the bullpen warming up, but it was manageable. I thought I battled pretty well. It's a small victory."

The right-hander is 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA in three starts versus Arizona. The defeat came when he gave up five runs in three innings while matching up with Haren last month.