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Jul 18, 2010 - 5:22 AM By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO STATS Writer

Colorado (49-40) at Cincinnati (50-41), 1:10 p.m. EDT

Extra-base hits are a big reason the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds are in position to sweep the slumping Colorado Rockies for the first time in four years.

Rookie Travis Wood can complete the feat with his first win Sunday, when the Reds also try to create some breathing room in the tight division race.

Cincinnati (51-41) has won the first two games of this series by collecting 13 hits - eight for extra bases - after losing four in a row and getting shut out in the final two prior to the All-Star break.

Four of the Reds' five hits Saturday were homers as they beat Colorado 8-1.

They're now looking to sweep the Rockies (49-41) for the first time since winning four games against them from July 13-16, 2006. Cincinnati had dropped 16 of 19 between the teams heading into this set at Great American Ball Park.

"The only thing that can beat us is ourselves," said second baseman Brandon Phillips, who had four hits with a double, a homer and three RBIs in two games.

The Reds' division lead is just one-half game on second-place St. Louis.

Wood (0-0, 2.18 ERA) will try to add to that by building on his best performance thus far as he was locked in a pitchers' duel with Philadelphia ace Roy Halladay in a 1-0, 11-inning loss July 10.

The rookie left-hander carried a perfect game into the ninth before giving up a hit. He struck out eight in nine innings before watching the bullpen falter in extra innings.

Wood attributes his early success to being sent to the minors following spring training, as he lost out to fellow rookie Mike Leake for the job as the Reds' fifth starter. A shoulder injury to Homer Bailey and ineffective performances from Sam LeCure prompted Cincinnati to recall Wood from Triple-A Louisville on July 1.

"I got sent down and I just went down there and got my stuff together," said Wood, who will make his home debut Sunday. "Just did what I had to do to get back up here."

The Rockies have totaled three runs and nine hits in this series after posting a .341 average with 15 homers and 70 runs during an 8-2 run leading into the All-Star break.

Aaron Cook (3-5, 4.88) takes the mound in an attempt to salvage a win from this series and notch his first road victory in a year.

The right-hander is 0-7 with a 7.08 ERA in 12 away starts since beating San Diego on July 16, 2009. He may be in ideal position to end that slide in Cincinnati, where he's 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA in five games - four starts.

Cook is coming off one of his worst performances of the season while not getting a decision in an 8-7 win over St. Louis on July 7. He was tagged for five runs and 10 hits with two homers in five innings after reaching at least the seventh in each of his previous three outings.