Arizona @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Mar 12, 2013 ) Arizona 3, Colorado 4

The Colorado Rockies will try to win seven in a row for the first time in two years when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a three-game series Friday. The Rockies are coming off a three-game sweep of the New York Mets in which they scored 28 runs. The Diamondbacks avoided a three-game sweep against the host New York Yankees by winning 6-2 in 12 innings on Thursday. The Diamondbacks are midway through a coast-to-coast nine-game trip that will take them from New York to Denver and then to San Francisco.

Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has reached base safely in all 15 games this season and upped his batting average to .356 with three hits in five at-bats in Thursday’s win. Cody Ross is 7-for-18 since coming off the disabled list, including an RBI single that gave the Diamondbacks the lead for good in the 12th inning of their win Thursday. Colorado second baseman Josh Rutledge got off to a slow start this season but has three hits in the last two games, including a solo home run in Thursday’s victory against the Mets.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Arizona, ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Ian Kennedy (1-1, 5.79 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (2-0, 1.96)

Kennedy has taken a step back in each of his first three starts. He went from allowing two earned runs in seven innings of his Opening Day victory against the St. Louis Cardinals, to giving up four earned runs in six innings and not getting a decision in an 8-7 win against the Milwaukee Brewers. He was then tagged for six runs in 5 2/3 innings of a 7-5 loss Saturday against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kennedy made four starts against the Rockies last season, posting a 2-1 record and a 2.00 ERA in 27 innings. Colorado left fielder Carlos Gonzalez has struggled to solve Kennedy, posting four hits and nine strikeouts in 23 career at-bats.

Chacin also started on Opening Day and has been more consistent than Kennedy. He hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his three outings and has pitched into the seventh inning twice. He made it into the seventh only twice in 14 starts last season. The 25-year-old Venezuelan made three starts against the Diamondbacks last season but did not receive a decision despite posting a 2.77 ERA. After leading the National League with 87 walks in 194 innings in 2011, he walked 32 in 69 innings last season and has five in 18 1/3 innings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rockies have swept a series three times this season

2. OF Dexter Fowler has seven home runs for the Rockies this season after not hitting No. 7 until May 28 last season.

3. The Diamondbacks are 3-0 in extra-inning games this season

PREDICTION: Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 2