St. Louis @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 5, 2012 ) Colorado 2, St. Louis 6
The St. Louis Cardinals attempt to get back on track Tuesday when they begin a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. St. Louis had won four straight contests and seven of eight before dropping the final two of its three-game set against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. The Cardinals have had their problems on the road of late, losing four of five and eight of 10.
St. Louis trails first-place Cincinnati by seven games in the National League Central and is four behind Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot. Colorado is looking to halt five-game home losing streak. The Rockies, who have dropped nine of 11 both overall and at Coors Field, began a nine-game homestand with three straight losses to Cincinnati.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSN Midwest (St. Louis), Root Sports (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cardinals RH Kyle Lohse (10-2, 2.71 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jeff Francis (3-2, 4.97)
Lohse has gone 4-0 over his last seven starts, allowing two runs or less in each outing. The 33-year-old settled for a no-decision against Los Angeles on Wednesday despite yielding only two runs over seven innings. Lohse, who has given up more than three earned runs just twice in 21 starts this season, improved to 4-3 lifetime against Colorado when he allowed two runs over 7 1/3 frames in a victory on July 2.
Francis is coming off a win at Arizona on Wednesday in which he yielded two runs and five hits over six innings. The 31-year-old Canadian has surrendered more than three runs only once in his last seven outings. Francis allowed two runs over five frames in a triumph at St. Louis on July 3 to improve to 6-1 in 11 career games against the Cardinals.
WALK-OFFS
1. Lohse has produced 10 straight quality starts and hasn't lost since June 15.
2. Cardinals SS Rafael Furcal has missed two straight games with stiffness in his lower back.
3. The Rockies lead the major leagues with 82 first-inning runs.