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Francis looks to give Rockies bullpen a rest

Sep 8, 2007 - 1:33 PM San Diego (76-64) at Colorado (73-67) 8:05 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) - A day after becoming just the second team in major league history to use 10 pitchers in a nine-inning game, the Colorado Rockies can exhale.

Ace Jeff Francis takes the mound on Saturday in the middle game of a three-game series with the San Diego Padres.

Colorado, which trails San Diego (76-64) by three games in the wild card race, saw Elmer Dessens leave after 3 1/3 innings with a hamstring injury on Friday. Nine relievers proceeded to hold the Padres to two runs and five hits in a 10-4 win. The only other team to use 10 pitchers in a nine-inning game was the Baltimore Orioles in 2004.

Francis (15-6, 4.12) will do his best to make sure the bullpen gets some rest, while aiming to tie San Diego's Jake Peavy for the league lead in wins. The lefthander has won nine of his last 10 starts, and allowed three runs or less in eight of those outings. He allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-4 win over San Francisco on Sunday.

San Diego, which leads the Los Angeles Dodgers (74-67) and Philadelphia Phillies (73-67) by three games in the wild card, sends Greg Maddux to the hill.

Maddux (11-9, 3.75 ERA) who has won four of his last five starts, has demonstrated his remarkable control recently. The future Hall of Famer has not issued a walk in his last 48 1/3 innings. Maddux picked up career win No. 344 on Sunday by limiting the Arizona Diamondbacks to two runs and six hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 10-2 win.

Maddux is 1-2 with a 3.75 ERA in four starts against Colorado this season, and is 6-2 with a 5.58 ERA in 10 career starts here.