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Rockies hit the road to battle the D-Backs

May 3, 2011 - 3:08 PM (Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies will depart the Rocky Mountains for six games, starting with tonight's opener of a three-game series against the NL West-rival Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.

Colorado will also visit defending World Series champion San Francisco on the trek and looks to rebound from Sunday's 8-4 loss versus Pittsburgh in the finale of a three-game set from Coors Field. Rotation ace Ubaldo Jimenez dropped to 0-2 on the season after he yielded four runs and six hits in four innings of work. Esmil Rogers gave up four more runs in the fifth.

"Before I was trying to get my velocity back. Right now my arm feels really good. I have my power back, but I don't have my control. So I have to put those things together," said Jimenez of his recent struggles.

Dexter Fowler had two hits and two RBI, while Todd Helton and Ryan Spilborghs both knocked in runs for the Rockies, who entered the series finale with the Bucs with three wins in four tries.

The Rockies will send unbeaten left-hander Jorge De La Rosa to the mound Tuesday and he's 4-0 with a 2.61 earned run average in five starts. He is riding a personal three-start win streak and previously defeated the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 26. He held the hosts to a pair of runs -- one earned -- with a season-best nine strikeouts and no walks.

De La Rosa has lasted at least seven innings in back-to-back starts and is 2-0 in three road outings this season. He beat Arizona in his season debut on April 2 with 5 1/3 shutout innings and is 6-3 with a 2.04 ERA in 14 matchups (10 starts) with the D'Backs.

Arizona earned a split of a four-game series versus the Cubs with Sunday's 4-3 triumph courtesy of seven strong innings from Daniel Hudson. Hudson lasted seven innings on the hill and was reached for three runs on eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts. David Hernandez relieved Hudson with a scoreless eighth inning and J.J. Putz tacked on his sixth save in the ninth.

Ryan Roberts hit a solo home run and scored twice for the D'Backs, who are 4-3 on a 10-game homestand.

"It's all about getting playing time and getting more at-bats," Roberts said. "The timing falls in place and the more rhythm you get, you start to feel better. That's what it's really about, just getting playing time."

Joe Saunders hopes this is the time he records his first win of the season, as he's set to take the hill Tuesday. Saunders dropped to 0-3 for the first time in his career with an 8-4 loss to Philadelphia last Wednesday when he yielded six runs on 10 hits and a walk with a season-best eight K's over 5 2/3 innings. The lefty is 0-3 with a 5.93 ERA in five starts, and has lost his last four decisions since Oct. 2, 2010.

Saunders has enjoyed success against Colorado in his career as evidenced by a 3-1 mark in four starts to go along with a 3.09 earned run average.

The Rockies and Diamondbacks split a rain-shortened series to kick off the 2011 campaign at Coors Field. Arizona has won four of the last five meetings between the NL West inhabitants.