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Rockies-Padres Preview

Jun 29, 2010 - 7:01 AM By JEFF MEZYDLO STATS Senior Writer

Colorado (40-36) at San Diego (45-31), 10:05 p.m. EDT

If Colorado expects to contend in the NL West, it will have to keep playing well against the San Diego Padres.

The Rockies look to continue their success in the season series when they go for a second straight victory over the first-place Padres on Tuesday night.

Miguel Olivo hit one of four Colorado homers and drove in four runs in a 10-6 win at Petco Park on Monday. The Rockies (40-36) are 5-2 against the Padres and 3-1 at Petco.

Colorado is fourth in the West, five games behind San Diego (45-31), which had its three-game winning streak snapped. The teams play 11 more times - six at Coors Field.

"Talking about it isn't going to make it happen," first baseman Todd Helton told the Rockies' official website about catching San Diego.

Carlos Gonzalez, Ryan Spilborghs and Seth Smith also homered for the Rockies, who led 8-0 behind ace Ubaldo Jimenez before hanging on to avoid a third straight loss.

Olivo had three hits to raise his average to .303, and has eight RBIs in his last four games. The veteran catcher is batting .333 with two homers and six RBIs in six games against the Padres.

After Jimenez recorded his major league-leading 14th victory, Jason Hammel (5-3, 4.31 ERA) tries to win his fifth consecutive decision for Colorado. Hammel pitched 28 1-3 consecutive scoreless innings before giving up four runs in four innings of a 13-11, 10-inning loss to Boston on Thursday.

The right-hander, 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA in his last six outings, has a 5.61 ERA without a decision in five starts against San Diego. He allowed four runs in seven innings of a 5-4, 14-inning loss to the Padres on April 10.

The Rockies could again be without Helton, who was scratched Monday and is day to day with lower back stiffness.

Scott Hairston hit a three-run homer and drove in four runs for the Padres (45-31), who lost for the second time in eight games. Adrian Gonzalez had an RBI, but is 6 for 27 against the Rockies this season.

Wade LeBlanc (4-5, 3.16) will try to help the Padres bounce back after they allowed double digits in runs for the third time this season. San Diego's 3.07 ERA is the lowest in the majors.

LeBlanc, who had allowed two total runs in his previous three starts, gave up four and a career-high 11 hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday. It was the left-hander's first defeat since June 1.

"I wasn't extremely sharp," LeBlanc said. "It's just trying to make the pitches you need to make when you need to get outs."

LeBlanc is 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in two career starts against Colorado. He allowed two runs in six innings and didn't get a decision in a 3-2 home win over the Rockies on May 4.