Rockies 2 - 0 Diamondbacks
Final
  for this game

D-backs shoot for series win vs. Rockies

Aug 30, 2014 - 1:56 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Colorado Rockies, at least for the time being, are going nowhere.

The Arizona Diamondbacks locked the Rockies into last place in the National League West with a win in Friday's opener and will try to put additional distance between them on Saturday night in game two of a three-game weekend series at Chase Field.

Arizona is three games ahead of Colorado in the NL West.

The Diamondbacks have won just eight times in 25 August games, but have beaten Colorado in all but one of their last eight meetings. The Rockies are tied with Texas for the worst record in the major leagues.

Arizona lefty Vidal Nuno will try again for his initial victory since arriving to the Diamondbacks from the New York Yankees in early July. He's received only 18 runs of offense across nine starts.

Nuno has been effective in his last three starts while compiling a 2.70 earned run average, and he's coming off a 7 1/3-inning stint against San Diego last Saturday in which he got a no-decision in Arizona's 5-2 win.

The Diamondbacks are 1-8 in his nine outings.

"I just try to go deep in the games," Nuno said. "The outcome has been unlucky, but just keep on fighting and I'll get it."

He has never started against the Rockies, who've won just four times in their last 31 road games and have scored only five runs while losing their last four games.

Tyler Matzek gets his second crack at the Diamondbacks this month for Colorado.

He pitched five innings and was dinged for three runs, four hits and five walks in a 5-3 loss on Aug. 8. He'd dropped five consecutive starts before Monday, when he topped San Francisco, 3-2, with seven innings of two-run ball.

In his prior seven road starts, he's been 0-5 with a 6.23 ERA.

"It's good to go out there and help the team win," Matzek said.

The youngster has thrown 150 2/3 innings -- his career high -- between the majors and Triple-A Colorado Springs this season.

On Friday, Jake Lamb's first career grand slam, coming with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifted Arizona to a 5-2 victory over Colorado.

Rex Brothers (4-6) walked Ender Inciarte and Cliff Pennington to start the inning, then uncorked a wild pitch which put both in scoring position. David Peralta walked and Adam Ottavino was summoned. He induced a comebacker from Mark Trumbo which turned into a force at the plate, before Miguel Montero fanned. Lamb then put the hosts ahead for good with a shot to dead-center which cleared the yellow line with plenty of room to spare.

Brad Ziegler (5-2) allowed a run on three hits in the top of the eighth before Lamb came to the rescue. Addison Reed tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his 31st save.

Pennington drew three walks, while Peralta scored twice for the Diamondbacks, who needed just three hits to snap a three-game slide.

Nolan Arenado and Charlie Blackmon drove in a run each for the Rockies, losers in four consecutive contests.






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