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Rockies look to snap skid vs. Braves

Sep 10, 2008 - 10:08 AM Colorado (67-78) at Atlanta (63-82) 7:10 p.m. EDT

ATLANTA (Ticker) -- If the Colorado Rockies hope to start another torrid stretch run in pursuit of a second consecutive playoff berth, they will need starting pitcher Livan Hernandez to do something on Wednesday he has done only three times in 23 tries:

Beat the Atlanta Braves.

Colorado fell seven games behind the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (74-71) with Tuesday's 5-4, 10-inning loss, its third straight defeat.

Tied 4-4, Taylor Buchholz was called for a balk with the bases-loaded, forcing in the winning run and handing the Braves their seventh win in their last 27 games.

Hernandez (1-3, 10.13 ERA) will be making his sixth start with Colorado since coming over from the Minnesota Twins. Last time out, he struggled against the San Francisco Giants, allowing four runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Rockies went on to win the game, 6-5. The veteran righthander is 3-15 lifetime against the Braves.

The Braves' starter has considerably less experience than Hernandez, who has started 378 games in his 12-year career. Rookie James Parr (1-0, 0.00) takes mound for his second career start.

Parr, 22, threw six shutout innings against the Washington Nationals on September 4 to earn the victory. He allowed two hits and three walks, striking out three.