Colorado @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( May 26, 2011 ) Arizona 6, Colorado 3
THE STORY: Surprising contenders in the National League West, the Arizona Diamondbacks will try to stay in the playoff race while pushing the division rival Colorado Rockies further out of the picture when the teams open a three-game series Friday at Chase Field.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, Root, Fox Sports Arizona
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Aaron Cook (0-5, 5.82 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Daniel Hudson (10-5, 3.56 ERA).
The Rockies have lost six of Cook's seven starts, including Sunday's 4-3 loss to Milwaukee in which the 32-year-old allowed three runs over 4 2/3 innings for his shortest outing this season. Cook has seen plenty of the Diamondbacks, going 5-4 with a 5.46 ERA in 20 starts and two relief appearances against them. Hudson has won his last seven decisions, and the Diamondbacks are 13-3 in his last 16 starts after dropping his first four outings of the season. The 24-year-old is coming off his second complete game of the year, a five-hitter Sunday against the Dodgers in which he allowed one run and didn't issue a walk in a 4-1 win. Hudson has faced the Rockies twice. He lost to them in his first start of the season, allowing three runs in six innings in a 3-1 defeat April 2.
ABOUT THE DIAMONDBACKS (53-46): Arizona has fought injuries, most notably the loss of shortstop Stephen Drew to a broken ankle that likely will knock him out for the remainder of the season. But the Diamondbacks kept rolling with a 4-0 win over the Brewers on Thursday, salvaging a split of the four-game series to climb within four games of the division lead. Justin Upton, Miguel Montero and Kelly Johnson all hit home runs Thursday, running Arizona's team total to 111, one behind MIlwaukee for the most in the NL.
ABOUT THE ROCKIES (47-52): The Rockies split a pair of four-game sets since the All-Star break, against Milwaukee and Atlanta during an eight-game home stand. They're 10 behind division leader San Francisco, and now they could be without star Carlos Gonzalez for at least a little while. Gonzalez left Thursday's 9-6 loss to the Braves after reinjuring his right wrist and will be reevaluated Friday.
FINAL PITCH: The Rockies are on fire on Fridays, having won their last six Friday games; strangely enough, they had lost eight of their first 10 Friday games this season.