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Pettitte, Yankees aim to bounce back against Rockies

Jun 20, 2007 - 2:30 PM NY Yankees (35-33) at Colorado (36-34) 9:05 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees started their nine-game road trip off on the wrong foot. Andy Pettitte aims to get them back on track.

After a 3-1 loss in the series opener, Pettitte and the Yankees will take on the Colorado Rockies in the middle contest of a three-game set at Coors Field on Wednesday night.

It was a disappointing loss Tuesday for the Yankees, who had won 14 of their last 17 games prior to the contest to get back into the playoff race after a horrid first two months of the campaign.

But in the first contest of the set, New York was stymied by Rockies starter Josh Fogg, who tossed seven stellar innings, allowing one run and four hits. The Yankees struggled with runners in scoring position, leaving the go-ahead runs on base in the eighth inning.

On Wednesday, however, New York will send Pettitte (4-4, 2.93 ERA), its most consistent hurler, to the hill. The lefthander yielded one run and four hits in eight solid innings in a 7-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Thursday.

Pettitte is 2-0 with a 2.29 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies, but did not fare well in his last outing at Coors Field, allowing eight runs and eight hits in 3 2/2 innings on June 19, 2002.

He will be opposed by Colorado's Jeff Francis (6-5, 3.61), who will look to continue his recent surge. The lefthander started the season 1-4 with a 6.19 ERA in his first six starts, but now has gone 5-1 with a 1.93 ERA in his last eight.

The Rockies have won 11 of their last 15 games to move two games over .500 and remain in contention in the crowded National League West.