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Rockies try to get on track versus Cubs

Apr 25, 2011 - 3:06 PM (Sports Network) - The current NL West leaders, the Colorado Rockies, have hit a snag and will try to regain their early-season form tonight in the opener of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Colorado stormed out to an 11-2 start this season, but has lost five of its last eight games and managed only one win during a three-game weekend series against the Florida Marlins down south. In Sunday's 6-3 loss to the Marlins in the finale of the set, Jonathan Herrera, Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki were all credited with an RBI in defeat.

Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez did not figure into the decision and allowed three runs in five innings with seven strikeouts and four walks. Matt Belisle absorbed the loss for surrendering Mike Stanton's three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

"When an opposing team gets six runs on three hits, obviously there was something to set the stage," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy.

Tracy will send Esmil Rogers to the mound Monday for his fourth start of the season and the righty is 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA in three starts. Rogers had a personal two-game winning streak stopped in last Monday's 8-1 setback versus San Francisco, as he permitted eight runs and six hits in three frames.

Rogers will face the Cubs for the first time in his career.

Chicago sustained its third loss in four tries with Sunday's 7-3 decision versus the Los Angeles Dodgers in the finale of a three-game series from Wrigley Field.

Cubs starter Carlos Zambrano was banged around in the loss, allowing six runs and eight hits in five innings, He struck out four and did not issue a walk for Chicago, which got two hits and an RBI from Darwin Barney. Carlos Pena also drove in a run in defeat.

"I knew sooner or later I was going to lose a game, you know. Unfortunately it was today, but let's move on and let's focus on my next game against the Diamondbacks," Zambrano said.

Matt Garza is still searching for his first win in a Cubs uniform and is 0-2 with a 4.74 earned run average in four starts. Garza, who joined the Cubs in the offseason after three years with Tampa Bay, recorded a no-decision the last time out in Wednesday's 2-1 win over San Diego with six scoreless innings and nine strikeouts.

The right-hander just faced Colorado on April 15 at Coors Field and surrendered five runs and seven hits in six innings of a 5-0 loss. Garza is 0-2 with a 7.36 ERA in two career starts against the Rockies.

Colorado won two of the three meetings with Chicago in that series and is 9-4 in the previous 13 matchups between the two ballclubs.