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Rockies-Braves Preview

May 19, 2009 - 4:30 AM By MATT BECKER STATS Senior Writer

Colorado (14-22) at Atlanta (18-18), 7:10 p.m. EDT

Atlanta's Jair Jurrjens has been one of the NL's top pitchers since the start of the season. It's hard to tell by his record, though.

Jurrjens looks to build off another impressive outing and hopefully this time pick up a win Tuesday night when the Braves continue their four-game series against the Colorado Rockies.

Jurrjens (3-2, 2.06 ERA) is fifth in the majors in ERA and he leads the Braves in opponent batting average (.227), but a lack of help from the offense has kept his win total fairly low. He's being backed by an average of 3.38 runs of support, receiving less than two on four occasions.

The right-hander has a 1.95 ERA in his last six starts but has a 1-2 record in that span.

Last Tuesday, Jurrjens gave up two runs, seven hits and one walk in 7 2-3 innings of a 4-3, 10-inning loss to the New York Mets - the seventh time in eight starts he's yielded two runs or less.

"He should have a win every start," manager Bobby Cox told the Braves' official Web site. "He's pitched that well."

It will be tough for Jurrjens to get back in the win column if Atlanta's offense continues to struggle.

The Braves (18-19) were limited to five hits in Monday's 5-1 series-opening loss to Colorado (15-22) and have totaled only one run in losing their last two games. They had won seven of their previous nine, averaging 5.7 runs.

Atlanta has averaged just 2.8 runs in its last 14 home games, losing 11, after opening the season 3-0 at home. Monday's game was played in front of 15,364, the smallest paid crowd since Turner Field opened in 1997.

The Rockies, meanwhile, won for the fifth time in 15 games away from Coors Field. They haven't won back-to-back road games since April 7 and 8 in Arizona.

Colorado managed just six hits Monday and put away a tight game with three runs in the ninth inning - thanks to two errors.

"That's what we have to do," Rockies manager Clint Hurdle told the team's official Web site. "We were productive with our outs. We were smart with our outs and productive with our at-bats."

Todd Helton reached on an error in the ninth Monday, but that scoring could be reversed.

Yunel Escobar was charged with an error on Helton's hard grounder between second and third although the Atlanta shortstop never touched the ball. Helton finished 0 for 4 and needs one hit to become the 255th player to reach 2,000.

Official scorer Jack Wilkinson is scheduled to meet with Hurdle before Tuesday's game to discuss the call.

"I've never seen that (kind of) ball (ruled) an error before," said Helton, who hasn't gone hitless in back-to-back games since mid-April. "All that matters is that we won the game. It didn't matter."

Helton is 3 for 7 with a double lifetime against Jurrjens, who went 2-1 with a 3.48 ERA in three starts against the Rockies last season. Jurrjens struck out 20 in 20 2-3 innings in those outings.

The Rockies counter with Jason Hammel (0-2, 4.62), who makes his first career start against the Braves.

Hammel gave up four runs - one earned - and seven hits in 5 1-3 innings of a 5-3 loss to Houston on Thursday for his second straight defeat. Since moving into Colorado's rotation at the end of April, Hammel is 0-2 with a 5.30 ERA in four starts.

The right-hander has been at his best on the road, throwing 10 shutout innings in three games - one start - away from Coors Field.