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Rockies-Padres Preview

Jun 28, 2010 - 4:10 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Colorado (39-35) at San Diego (44-30), 10:05 p.m. EDT

After shutting down one opponent after another to start the year, Ubaldo Jimenez stumbled for the first time last week.

A start against the light-hitting San Diego Padres at pitcher-friendly Petco Park should help him get back on track.

Jimenez looks to bounce back from his worst outing of the season and continue his dominance over the Padres when he takes the ball for the Colorado Rockies in Monday night's series opener.

Seeking to become the first NL pitcher since 1912 to win 14 of his first 15 starts, Jimenez (13-1, 1.60 ERA) was staked to an early four-run lead against Boston on Wednesday. That seemed safe considering Jimenez hadn't allowed more than three runs in a start all season, but he gave up six runs and 10 hits in a season-low 5 2-3 innings, causing his ERA to jump from 1.15. The right-hander had been sent home sick the night before, but didn't want to blame it on his health.

"He's human. He's not a machine," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "And he's allowed to have a game like this."

Despite the subpar performance, Colorado (39-36) still rallied to win 8-6. The Rockies are 14-1 with Jimenez on the mound compared to 25-35 in their other games. Colorado lost to the Los Angeles Angels 10-3 on Sunday, dropping six games back of NL West-leading San Diego.

The Padres (45-30), winners in six of seven, have their largest division lead since winning the West in 2005, despite struggling offensively.

San Diego has scored the third-fewest runs in the NL (307) and has the league's third-worst batting average (.245). Not surprisingly, this punchless offense has had its problems against Jimenez.

The Colorado ace has posted a 2.67 ERA in winning his last four starts against the Padres.

In two outings against San Diego this year, Jimenez has yielded three runs while striking out 20 over 13 innings. Jimenez, 8-1 with a 0.80 ERA in nine starts away from Coors Field this season, struck out a career-best 13 in a 5-2 win at Petco Park on May 3.

The Padres are returning to Petco after sweeping a three-game weekend series in Florida, capped by Sunday's 4-2 win. Will Venable hit a tiebreaking two-run home run in the eighth inning, his third tiebreaking homer since Wednesday and fourth home run in seven games.

"I spent a lot of time not doing my job and not contributing so much offensively so it feels especially good just to do my job," said Venable, who went 45 games without a home run before his recent surge.

Venable is 4 for 13 against Jimenez, while San Diego slugger Adrian Gonzalez is batting .167 with four hits - including two homers - and nine strikeouts in 24 at-bats against him.

The Padres counter with Kevin Correia (5-5, 5.14), who gave up two runs, three hits and five walks in 5 1-3 innings of Wednesday's 5-4 win over Tampa Bay, but didn't receive a decision. San Diego has won five of Correia's last six starts.

This will be the right-hander's second start opposing Jimenez after allowing three runs and four hits in six innings to take the loss on May 3. Correia is 0-2 with a 5.31 ERA in four starts against Colorado since the start of last season.