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Diamondbacks look to continue success against Rockies in rubber match

Aug 14, 2008 - 10:06 AM Arizona (61-59) at Colorado (54-68), 3:05 pm EDT

DENVER (Ticker) -- If the Arizona Diamondbacks played the Colorado Rockies more often, perhaps the National League West race wouldn't be so tight.

Clinging to a tie in the standings, the Diamondbacks look to continue their dominance of the Rockies on Thursday.

The Diamondbacks are 9-2 against the Rockies in 2008, after getting swept in the NL Championship Series last fall.

Arizona is a league-best 30-16 against its division - the best record of any team within its own division in the National League - with a great deal of that success coming at the expense of Colorado. Still, the Los Angeles Dodgers (61-59) have been able to keep pace.

Dan Haren (12-6, 3.00 ERA) takes the mound for the Diamondbacks, hoping to regain the dominant form that triggered Cy Young discussions for the first four months of the season. However, in two starts this month, he has surrendered 10 runs and 18 hits in 11 1/3 shoddy innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves, respectively.

Prior to those outings, he held opponents to two runs or less in seven of eight starts.

Colorado counters with Glendon Rusch (5-3, 5.22), who has won four straight decisions and has given up more than three runs once in his eight starts since being acquired from the San Diego Padres. The 33-year-old lefthander signed a minor league contract on May 16 and was recalled on May 31.

While Tuesday's 4-2 win at Coors Field gave Arizona its fourth win at Coors Field in as many tries, it also marked the Diamondback debut of Adam Dunn, who was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds for minor league righthander Dallas Buck and two players to be named later. He went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.

Wednesday wasn't as kind to the desert's new slugger. Colorado closer Brian Fuentes issued an intentional walk to Conor Jackson with two outs in the ninth inning to load the bases. Fuentes then retired Dunn on a grounder that preserved the Rockies' 6-5 win. Dunn finished 1-for-5, dropping his average to .234.