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Rockies try to take commanding lead vs. Diamondbacks in Game Two

Oct 12, 2007 - 2:07 PM Colorado at Arizona 10:18 pm EDT National League Championship Series Rockies lead, 1-0

PHOENIX (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies just keep on winning.

Behind 6 2/3 strong innings from Jeff Francis and two RBI by Brad Hawpe, the Rockies won the opener of the National League Championship Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-1, on Thursday night.

Colorado, which has won 18 of its last 19 games, will try to take a commanding lead back home to Coors Field when they face Arizona in Game Two on Friday.

With a 10-8 record against the Diamondbacks during the regular season, the Rockies used that experience to win Game One.

"We've got to find a way to beat the Diamondbacks," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said. "And hopefully, through experience, we've put ourselves in a good place. I think one of the biggest things I've seen I'm most proud of this club is the poise they've shown from start of the season through the month of September and into the postseason."

And nobody showed more poise than Francis, who allowed a run and seven hits to improve to 5-0 all-time at Chase Field.

"I've had some success here in the past," Francis said. "You take it for what it is. I just try to go out and execute."

"He's seen a lot of these hitters and has good command," Hurdle said about Francis' success against Arizona. "He has a slow heart beat and that doesn't hurt."

Colorado's one loss in the last three weeks came against Arizona and its ace, Brandon Webb. However, the Rockies had no problem with Webb on Thursday, as the reigning NL Cy Young winner gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings.

Doug Davis will try to better Webb's performance when he takes the mound for the Diamondbacks in Game Two.

Davis, 32, faces the Rockies after surrendering four runs and five hits over 5 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs in Game Two of the NL Division Series.

Despite just a 1-2 record against the Rockies this season, Davis has pitched well when facing the potent lineup, surrendering just six earned runs in three starts. In his last outing against Colorado, the lefthander allowed only two runs and six hits over seven innings as the Diamondbacks were shut out, 2-0, on May 23.

Davis knows the key to his outing rests with his mechanics.

"I think the slower I am the better my mechanics are, the more consistent I am," Davis said. "It may put the batter to sleep while I'm up there. So if I get them off-balance, that's what pitching is. I think a lot of it has to do with my mechanics. If I stay back as long as possible, the more chance if I miss I'll miss down."

The Rockies will counter the veteran Davis with youngster Ubaldo Jimenez, who will be making just his 18th career start.

Despite his youth, Jimenez was strong in his first postseason outing, yielding a run and three hits in 6 1/3 innings of a 2-1 win over Philadelphia in Game Three on Saturday.

The 23-year-old righthander last faced the Diamondbacks on the final game of the regular season, giving up just one run and a hit while striking out 10 over 6 1/3 innings to clinching a one-game playoff against the San Diego Padres for the NL wild card.

Jimenez has struck out 15 in his last two starts but has walked eight. He knows that he will have to rely less on his fastball and more on location in order to be successful Friday.

"From the beginning, I had to like mix all my pitches, just not only throw my fastball, use most of my pitches," Jimenez said. "If you make a mistake just like trying to throw a fastball, they're going to hit it.

"Just being able to stay back and just focus on the catcher's mitt, just trying to throw the ball low in the strike zone. Don't try to strike everybody out."