• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Rockies look to increase Francis' win streak

Aug 14, 2007 - 2:44 PM Colorado (61-56) at San Diego (63-54) 10:05 pm EDT

SAN DIEGO (Ticker) -- Jeff Francis will look to continue his long win streak on Tuesday when the Colorado Rockies visit the San Diego Padres for the start of a three-game series.

Francis (13-5, 4.06 ERA) has won each of his last eight starts, including Wednesday's 19-4 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers in which he permitted three runs and six hits over five innings. He is 8-0 with a 4.39 ERA in 11 starts since June 14, with the Rockies winning 10 of those games.

After getting roughed up in his two starts against the Padres this season, the lefthander may need some of the run support he received last week. So far, Francis has allowed 11 runs in 12 innings against San Diego this season. For his career, Francis is 4-8 with a 5.89 ERA vs. the Padres.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is Greg Maddux (7-9, 4.15), who is winless in his last eight starts. Although he has pitched well lately, posting a 3.07 ERA over his last five starts, his bullpen and the offense have conspired to keep the four-time National League Cy Young Award winner winless since June 27.

In two of those games, Padres relievers have surrendered nine runs to blow two leads while the offense has provided the righthander a mere two total runs of support in the other three. One of those non-support outings was in Wednesday's 2-1 loss against the St. Louis Cardinals when he allowed two runs and four hits to start the game but did not surrender a hit over the next six frames, striking out five.