Milwaukee @ Colorado preview
Coors Field
Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2010 ) Milwaukee 5, Colorado 4
Casey McGehee played the role of hero Saturday night to give the Milwaukee Brewers a rare win at Coors Field.
Starting a winning streak against the Colorado Rockies could be a difficult endeavor with Ubaldo Jimenez toeing the rubber.
Jimenez (17-3, 2.55 ERA) will be in search of his major-league best 18th win of the season in the rubber match of a three-game set Sunday, a day after McGehee sent the Brewers home victorious, 5-4, with an RBI double that plated Ryan Braun with the winning run in the top of the 10th inning.
The win was just Milwaukee’s third in 15 games in Colorado. Troy Tulowitzki drove in the go-ahead runs with a homer in the eighth inning of the Rockies’ 5-4 win in the series opener on Friday.
Jimenez, who has yet to lose back-to-back outings this season, will try to avoid doing just that against a Brewers team that he has enjoyed great success against.
In his last start, the right-hander took the hard-luck loss in allowing a run on four hits over seven innings of a 1-0 setback to the New York Mets.
Jimenez, who has allowed exactly one run in each of his past three starts, has already established a career-high in wins and is on pace to best last season’s 198 strikeout total. On the season, he is a perfect 8-0 in 10 outings at home.
In three career starts against Milwaukee, Jimenez is 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA. Brewers sluggers Ryan Braun (2-for-9, one RBI) and Prince Fielder (2-for-8, no RBIs) have struggled in their careers when facing the Colorado ace.
Given the task of attempting to outduel Jimenez is left-hander Manny Parra (3-9, 5.46 ERA).
Parra has struggled over his previous six starts, going 0-4 and allowing four-plus runs in four of those outings. His last win came on July 3 when he gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 12-5 victory over St. Louis.
Parra has made four appearances - two starts - in his career against the Rockies and is winless with a 6.17 ERA.
McGehee, who had a hit in nine straight at-bats heading into Friday’s game before snapping it, singled in the second inning on Saturday to extend his hitting streak to nine games.
Rockies first baseman Todd Helton lifted a solo homer in the fourth for his first blast at home since Sept. 30, also coming against Milwaukee.