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Jimenez aims for first victory, Rox try to avoid sweep vs. Brewers

May 22, 2011 - 2:39 PM (Sports Network) - Colorado ace Ubaldo Jimenez continues to show improvement each time out, but has yet to capture that elusive first victory of the season. A matchup with Milwaukee could finally do the trick.

Jimenez and the Rockies hope to salvage the finale of a three-game series with the Brewers this afternoon at Miller Park.

A 19-game winner a season ago, the right-handed Jimenez will make his eighth start of the season tonight and is still without a win, going 0-3 with a 6.14 earned run average. He did avoid losing two straight starts for the first time this season on Tuesday versus the Giants, but offensive help came too late in the club's 5-3 win.

Jimenez gave up three runs on eight hits and matched a season high with seven strikeouts over seven innings for his longest start of the season in the no- decision.

"It's been hard. Every time I go out there, I try to give 100 percent to give the team a chance to win, but I hadn't been able to do it." said Jimenez on Colorado's website. "I did it today, so it feels really great, especially against the Giants."

The 27-year-old is perfect in his career versus the Brewers however, going 2-0 with a 2.67 ERA in four starts, striking out 29 and allowing eight runs over 27 innings.

Jimenez will need to be sharp today as the Rockies try to avoid being swept by the Brewers for the first time since Aug. 22-24, 2006. Milwaukee has won a pair of one-run games to begin this set, taking Friday's opener, 7-6, in 14 innings prior to yesterday's 3-2 triumph.

Shaun Marcum hurled eight innings of one-run ball to win his sixth straight decision, striking out eight. Catcher Jonathan Lucroy backed his starter with a solo homer, while Prince Fielder drove in a run and also scored.

"He's a special pitcher," Lucroy said of Marcum. "A lot of guys are going to guess because of the way he can change location."

Milwaukee has won seven of nine, including the first two of a nine-game homestand.

Carlos Gonzalez hit a solo home run in the first inning for the Rockies, who have lost three of four. Seth Smith added an RBI.

"I thought Marcum did a great job of working around his fastball," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "We weren't able to do much with him after the home run in the first inning."

Clayton Mortensen (1-1) allowed three runs -- two earned -- over 6 2/3 frames in the loss.

Milwaukee southpaw Randy Wolf will try to put an end to his four-start winless drought when he toes the rubber today.

Wolf is 0-2 with a 6.10 ERA since winning three straight outings and took a tough-luck loss in his most recent start on Tuesday versus the Dodgers. In a 3-0 setback, the 34-year-old was charged with just two runs on five hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.

"It was a battle for Randy," said Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke. "He was getting behind in counts. He kept us in the game."

Wolf fell below .500 with the loss at 3-4 with a 4.03 ERA in nine starts. He is 6-3 with a 3.91 ERA in 15 career games versus the Rockies.

Colorado won all six of its meetings with Milwaukee in 2009, but won just five of nine a season ago, dropping two of three at Miller Park.