Colorado @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 29, 2010 ) LA Dodgers 5, Colorado 10

The Colorado Rockies are putting on another September charge, leaving open the possibility of another “Rocktober.”

The Rockies will look to move one step closer to a postseason berth when they open a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

Colorado used huge September charges in 2007 and 2009 to reach the postseason, with the momentum in 2007 carrying the franchise all the way to the World Series. This season has been no different, as the Rockies ripped off a 10-game winning streak starting on Sept. 3 to charge from 7 ½ games out to 1 ½ behind in the National League West.

Two straight losses to the first-place San Diego Padres pushed it back to 3 ½ games, but Colorado recovered to win the finale of that series on Wednesday, getting a pair of homers and seven RBIs from Troy Tulowitzki to take back another game.

The reeling Padres are now in second place, one-half game behind the San Francisco Giants. Colorado was idle on Thursday, making the deficit 2 ½ games behind the Giants.

The Dodgers might be out of the race but they are certainly having an effect on it, dropping two of three to San Francisco this week after losing three in a row against San Diego last week. Los Angeles has another series against the Padres next week and closes September with three games at Colorado.

The Rockies will look to start the series strong on Friday behind ace Ubaldo Jimenez. The right-hander owns a 1-4 record over his last seven starts despite allowing more than three earned runs in just one of those outings. Run support has been the problem, with the Colorado offense scoring two runs or less five times in that span.

Jimenez allowed one run in six innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks last Saturday but did not factor in the decision. He last faced the Dodgers on Aug. 27, yielding three runs in seven innings but suffering the loss as the Rockies fell 3-1. Los Angeles has not been the best match for Jimenez in his career, knocking him around for a 5-5 record and 5.23 ERA in 14 games - 13 starts.

The Dodgers will counter with Hiroki Kuroda. The Japanese right-hander is no stranger to poor run support, having allowed three earned runs or less in eight of his 12 losses this season. He yielded just one run on four hits at Houston last week but did not factor in the decision.

Kuroda was stuck with a no-decision against the Rockies on Aug. 18 despite allowing just two runs in seven frames. He is 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA in seven career starts against the division rivals.