• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Astros-Rockies Preview

Jun 9, 2010 - 5:51 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Houston (23-36) at Colorado (30-28), 8:40 p.m. EDT

After losing six consecutive starts, Felipe Paulino started to show some positive signs when he faced the Colorado Rockies last month.

Now he's finally shown some positive results.

Paulino has given up one run in 16 innings over his past two outings, and he'll look to capitalize on the momentum of his first victory Wednesday night as the Houston Astros continue their four-game set in Denver.

Paulino (1-7, 4.01 ERA) doesn't have the record of a pitcher who's steadily improving, but the hefty right-hander - who's received a major league-low 2.14 runs of support per game - has done just that recently.

He started off by giving up two runs over six innings in consecutive starts last month, including a 7-3 loss at Colorado on May 19 in which he didn't earn a decision. Since then, Paulino has looked dominant.

The Astros (23-36) didn't give him any help when he tossed eight scoreless innings May 30 in a 2-0, 10-inning loss at Cincinnati, but he finally got some support Friday against the Chicago Cubs. Paulino again went eight innings, allowing one run and striking out seven in a 3-1 victory.

"I feel confident right now and that's a good thing for me," Paulino told the Astros' official website. "I feel 100 percent confident in myself and any pitch I throw in the game."

Paulino has a 3.00 ERA in two home starts against Colorado (30-28), but he'll want to forget his lone previous outing at Coors Field. The Rockies shelled Paulino for eight runs over four innings in a 12-1 win on May 12, 2009.

Ian Stewart and Todd Helton each took Paulino deep in that contest, but Brad Hawpe has been the toughest out for Paulino. Hawpe is 4 for 6 with three walks against the right-hander.

Paulino isn't the only Houston pitcher to have trouble retiring Hawpe, though. The Rockies' right fielder has hit safely in all 16 games against the Astros since 2008, batting .458 with three homers and 19 RBIs.

He had two hits and drove in one of Colorado's three first-inning runs Tuesday, but those were the only ones Houston allowed. Carlos Lee had a tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth - one of his three hits - as the Astros rallied to win 4-3.

"This is baseball," said Rockies reliever Matt Belisle, who took the loss after allowing his first two runs in 11 1-3 innings. "Sometimes you go through streaks where you can't finish and it swings like this."

Lee is hitting .340 with three homers and 12 RBIs over his last 13 games, and he's the only active Astro to have homered off Aaron Cook (2-3, 5.00), going 4 for 14 against the right-hander.

Cook's overall numbers aren't impressive, but his work at Coors Field has been. Cook is 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in four home starts and 0-3 with a 6.81 ERA on the road.

He gave up three runs over five innings Friday at Arizona and was in line to win before Manny Corpas blew a save and the Rockies lost 7-6.

"I wanted to get a little bit deeper in the game, but (manager Jim) Tracy makes the decision on what he thinks is best for the team, and I respect that," Cook told the Rockies' official website.

Cook is 4-1 with a 3.40 ERA in eight starts against Houston.