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Rockies target season-high sixth consecutive victory

Jul 28, 2008 - 2:51 PM Colorado (48-58) at Pittsburgh (48-57) 7:05 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) -- After wallowing in mediocrity for most of the season, the Colorado Rockies could be priming for another late-season run.

The surging Rockies target their season-high sixth straight win on Monday when they begin a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Colorado - which hasn't been any higher than third place in the win-starved National League West since late April - has won nine of 10, leaving it six games behind division-leading Arizona (53-51).

The run, powered by an offense that has scored at least five runs in each game since the All-Star break, has some remembering the way the Rockies closed out last season, when they won 21 of 22 games to reach the World Series for the first time in team history.

Unlike last season's World Series entry, however, Colorado is well off its 106-game record in 2007 of 54-52.

The Rockies' offensive fireworks could continue if Ian Snell (3-8, 6.10 ERA) can't turn things around on his end. The righthander, who is 0-1 with a 7.71 ERA over his last three starts, escaped with a no-decision in Wednesday's 8-7 victory at Houston after surrendering five runs and six hits over three frames.

Colorado will counter with Jason Hirsh (NA), who will be making his first start of the season after suffering a strained rotator cuff in spring training. In 11 appearances - including 10 starts with Class AAA Colorado Springs, the righthander went 2-3 with a 5.24 ERA. He was 5-7 with a 4.81 ERA in 19 starts for the Rockies last season.