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Rockies-Pirates Preview

Aug 5, 2010 - 12:24 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Colorado (55-51) at Pittsburgh (37-69), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Colorado Rockies are going to need a substantial run to get back into serious playoff contention. Beating the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates would be one way to start.

The Rockies, who lost a home series to the Pirates last week, try to snap a six-game road losing streak Thursday when they open a four-game set at PNC Park.

Colorado (56-51) is coming off a split of a two-game home set with San Francisco, winning 6-1 Wednesday to move within 5 1/2 games of the wild card-leading Giants. The Rockies, who are beginning a seven-game road trip, also trail St. Louis and Philadelphia.

"The road trip is going to be important for us," slugger Carlos Gonzalez told Colorado's official website. "We need to start playing better on the road because that's what's going to make the difference. It's up to us."

Gonzalez homered twice Wednesday and Ubaldo Jimenez struck out nine in seven innings for his major league-leading and club record-tying 17th win. He's first Colorado pitcher to reach that mark since Jeff Francis, who will start Thursday, went 17-9 in 2007.

The Rockies have won five of six overall since dropping eight in a row, which included two losses to NL-worst Pittsburgh (37-70) during a three-game series July 27-29. Colorado scored two runs in each of the losses to the Pirates, but has averaged 7.7 in the six games since.

Francis (4-3, 4.44 ERA) won't win 17 games this year, but is looking to win his third straight decision. He gave up two runs in six innings of a 17-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.

The left-hander has won three straight starts against the Pirates, but hasn't faced them since 2007.

Despite the two victories over the Rockies last week, the Pirates have dropped 10 of 13 overall including a 9-4 defeat to Cincinnati on Wednesday. Pittsburgh has been outscored 49-16 in its last seven games.

Andrew McCutchen was back in the lineup after leaving Tuesday's win with a bruised neck. The Pirates leader in runs and stolen bases homered to lead off the first before giving his team another scare in the seventh, when his left knee was caught in a patch of sod while attempting to make a sliding catch. He remained in the game.

McCutchen is batting .323 lifetime against the Rockies, including 4 for 8 in two games this year.

Pittsburgh will give the ball Thursday to newly-acquired James McDonald (0-1, 8.22), who will make his second start this season.

The right-hander, acquired in a weekend trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers, gave up four runs and nine hits in five innings of a 5-2 loss to San Francisco on July 19. He was sent to the bullpen following that outing, and was used three times thereafter.

"I think in my situation, it wasn't tough (to leave Los Angeles) - it wasn't like I was a key part of what was going on there," McDonald told the Pirates' official website. "If another team wants me and sees me as part of their future, I'm all right with that."

McDonald made 41 of his 45 appearance for the Dodgers in 2009 out of the bullpen. Two of the starts were against the Rockies. He gave up five runs in 9 1-3 innings during those outings.