Colorado @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2010 ) Colorado 4, Arizona 8

The Colorado Rockies were supposed to be beating up on the beleaguered Arizona Diamondbacks to further their frantic chase of the National League West crown.

Instead, they are now in danger of falling out of the race.

The Rockies are now in must-win mode for Thursday’s finale of the three-game series with the last-place Diamondbacks after losing the first two games of the pivotal series in Phoenix.

The back-to-back losses leave Colorado three games behind the San Diego Padres with 11 games remaining. The Rockies are also three games behind the Atlanta Braves in the wild-card race.

If the Rockies miss the playoffs, they will be able to look at their terrible road record as a big factor. Colorado is now 31-45 away from Coors Field.

Colorado lost its third straight game on Wednesday when ace Ubaldo Jimenez was looking to become the first pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in a season.

Jimenez couldn’t hold an early 4-0 lead and Arizona used homers from Stephen Drew and Adam LaRoche to get back in the game before Chris Young’s two-run single put the Diamondbacks ahead for good. Kelly Johnson added a homer later in the 8-4 victory.

Arizona won Tuesday’s series opener 3-1 behind Joe Saunders’ stellar pitching.

The Diamondbacks will attempt to prolong the Rockies’ misery behind right-hander Ian Kennedy.

Kennedy pitched six exceptional innings against Colorado on Sept. 12 but wasn’t involved in the decision of Arizona’s 4-2 loss.

Kennedy had more hits himself (three) than he gave up (two) during six scoreless innings. But his calf cramped up while running the bases and he exited despite throwing just 82 pitches, and Colorado rallied for the victory.

This will be Kennedy’s fifth start against the Rockies this season and he doesn’t have any victories to show for it despite a 3.68 earned-run average. He is 0-1 against Colorado.

Overall, Kennedy has won three straight decisions to even his record at 9-9. He has a 3.79 ERA and has struck out 161 batters in 185 innings.

Left-hander Jeff Francis starts for Colorado. Francis is making his second start since coming off the disabled list for the second time this season.

Francis pitched three innings against San Diego in his last start, giving up two runs and five hits. He’s not expected to throw more than 80 pitches against Arizona.

Francis (4-5, 4.61) was Colorado’s ace three short seasons ago when he won 17 games but has been plagued with shoulder injuries over the past three years.

He has a 7-5 record and 4.75 ERA in 18 career starts against the Diamondbacks.