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Rockies look to continue resurgence vs. Reds

Jul 27, 2008 - 2:28 PM Colorado (47-58) at Cincinnati (50-55) 1:10 pm EDT

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Colorado Rockies have been red hot at the plate since the All-Star break, which has allowed them to climb back into the pennant race in a dismal division.

Colorado aims for its ninth win in 10 games on Sunday in the finale of a three-game series with the Cincinnati Reds.

The Rockies pounded rookie Homer Bailey for 15 hits in 4 2/3 innings of a 5-1 victory on Saturday. Troy Tulowitzki and Yorvit Torrealba each had an RBI single in a four-run fifth as Colorado recorded at least 11 hits for the seventh straight game.

The defending National League champions are averaging 7.2 runs and batting .373 in their last nine games - a run that has helped them pull within six games of the Arizona Diamondbacks (52-51) in the NL West.

"We started (the season) really slow, but there is no doubt that there is the potential in this room," Torrealba said. "Now it seems like everybody is starting to get hot at the same time. That's huge."

Like the rest of the team, Ulbado Jimenez (6-9, 3.98 ERA) started slow but as come on strong. The 24-year-old righthander went 1-6 with a 5.43 ERA in his first 13 starts, but is 5-3 with a 2.28 ERA since June 11. Jimenez tossed a four-hitter for his first complete game on Tuesday in a 10-1 victory over Los Angeles.

Cincinnati, which has managed just three runs in the first two games of the series, sends former Rockie Josh Fogg (2-2, 7.09) to the hill. Fogg missed his scheduled start on Friday after receiving 30 stitches to his upper lip when he was hit in the face during batting practice on Tuesday.

Fogg, who spent the last previous seasons with Colorado, is 3-2 with a 4.54 ERA in six career starts against the Rockies. He allowed two runs and eight hits in six innings of a 7-2 win over the New York Mets on July 19.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit career home run No. 607 on Friday, and it two shy of tying Sammy Sosa for fifth place on the all-time list.