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Uggla seeks to power Braves to victory over Rockies

Jul 21, 2011 - 2:55 PM (Sports Network) - Braves second baseman Dan Uggla has two assignments on his agenda this afternoon in Colorado: Extend his career high-tying hitting streak to 13 games and pull his ballclub out of a two-game funk in the finale of a four-game series from Coors Field.

Uggla went 1-for-4 in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Rockies and is batting .333 with two doubles, five home runs and nine RBI over the streak. His 12-game run is the longest since he hit safely in that many contests from Aug. 7-20 of last season. Uggla hit a pair of homers in Tuesday's 12-3 loss.

"Like I've been telling you guys, I'm not in it to pad my stats on the back of my baseball cards," said Uggla, who's nursing a balky left calf. "I'm here to try to win a World Series with these guys and I feel like we've got the team to do it."

David Ross drove in the other run for Atlanta last night and Eric O'Flaherty surrendered Carlos Gonzalez's game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth to absorb the loss. Braves infielder Martin Prado watched a two-out ground ball by Dexter Fowler roll between his legs and the blunder proved to be costly. Ty Wigginton was then intentionally walked for Gonzalez, whose single to right won the game.

"I don't have any excuses," Prado said. "I have to make that play, no matter how hard it is. I had a real tough game today, offensive-wise and defensive. It's going to be one of those nights where it's going to be hard to sleep."

The versatile Prado was playing third base since veteran Chipper Jones landed on the disabled list. Tim Hudson started for the Braves and allowed two runs through seven innings with five strikeouts. Hudson's effort was good enough for a win, but it was not in the cards for an Atlanta team that is now 4 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Phillies.

Atlanta is 4-5 in its last nine games and will visit Cincinnati for three games over the weekend. Taking the hill for the Braves Thursday will be Tommy Hanson, who is winless (0-1) in his last two starts since a personal five-game winning streak. Hanson hopes to earn a series split with the Rockies and beat them on July 4 at Turner Field, where he allowed one run in seven innings of a 4-1 triumph. Hanson is 1-0 in two career starts in this matchup.

The right-hander lost to Washington his previous time out, a 5-2 loss on Saturday in which he gave up five runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings. Hanson owns a 10-5 record in 18 starts to go along with a 2.73 ERA, and is 5-2 in nine starts as the visitor this season.

It may seem Colorado has nothing to play for at 9 1/2 games off the NL West lead, but stranger things have happened with this club in the second half of the season on several occasions. The Rockies are hoping to pick up steam for a late playoff run and have won two in a row since losing Monday's series opener by a 7-4 score.

The Rockies have won six of 10 games overall and Gonzalez came through in the clutch for last night's win. He even had some family members in attendance.

"It's always special when my family is here," Gonzalez said. "They don't have the opportunity to see me play every day."

Todd Helton gets to see CarGo play everyday and perhaps some of the young magic is wearing off on the gritty veteran. Helton collected two RBI and a run scored and Fowler finished 2-for-3 for Colorado, which will hit the road for nine games against the NL Central-rival Diamondbacks, Dodgers and Padres.

Gonzalez's game-winning hit made a winner out of closer Huston Street, who tossed a scoreless inning of relief. Juan Nicasio worked the first seven innings on the hill and allowed just one run and five hits in the no-decision.

"It's obviously a very, very well-pitched game by Juan Nicasio," Rockies manager Jim Tracy said. "We're watching this kid evolve from one start to the next. ... He's pounded his fastball for strikes, and we're now getting to the point where he's getting consistent enough with his breaking ball to be extremely effective."

Jhoulys Chacin has been far from effective for the Rockies and will take the mound tonight. He is 0-3 with a 5.10 earned run average in his last five starts and did not record a decision in Saturday's 8-7 loss to Milwaukee. He allowed five runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings and is 8-7 with a 3.37 ERA in 19 starts this season.

Chacin, a right-hander, is 4-3 in 10 home starts and lost to Atlanta on July 5. In that 5-3 loss to the Braves, Chacin was reached for four runs and four hits in five innings in his first-ever appearance in this series.

Atlanta swept that four-game series versus Colorado from July 4-7.