Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Colorado Rockies took great pleasure in further damaging the playoff hopes of the host Arizona Diamondbacks in the series opener. They get a chance to deal another blow Saturday, when the National League West rivals continue their three-game set. Colorado broke open a tie game with a five-run seventh inning Friday and held on for a 7-5 victory, keeping Arizona nine games behind the Cincinnati Reds for the second NL wild-card spot with 16 contests remaining.
DJ LeMahieu delivered a go-ahead single and Wilin Rosario hit a two-run double to cap a four-RBI performance. The Rockies improved to 2-5 on their nine-game road trip with just their third win in 10 overall contests. The Diamondbacks' disappointing month continued as they lost for the eighth time in 12 September games.
TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN (Arizona)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Roy Oswalt (0-5, 8.57 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (9-10, 3.73)
Oswalt continues his quest for his first win of the season as he makes his fifth start. The 36-year-old dropped each of his first four outings and also took the loss in relief at San Diego on Sunday, when he surrendered five runs and four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Oswalt, who spent two months on the disabled list after suffering a strained left hamstring in his most recent start on July 7, is 9-4 with a 2.41 ERA in 14 career outings against Arizona.
Miley's winless streak reached six starts Sunday despite allowing only two runs over seven innings in a no-decision at San Francisco. The 26-year-old has not been victorious since capturing three straight outings from July 25-Aug. 6, a span that included two wins over the Tampa Bay Rays in which he yielded a total of one run in 13 1/3 frames. Miley is 5-0 lifetime against the Rockies, including a home triumph on July 6 in which he gave up one run over eight innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. LeMahieu extended his career-best hitting streak to 13 games Friday with a second-inning single.
2. Colorado RF Michael Cuddyer went 2-for-5 to raise his NL-leading batting average to .335.
3. Oswalt has been tagged for 20 runs and 33 hits in 21 innings this season.