(Sports Network) - A blown save last weekend cost Ubaldo Jimenez a MLB-leading and single-season franchise record 18th victory, but given Colorado's current position in the National League Wild Card standings the club can't be too picky about how it wins.
Jimenez aims again for that elusive victory tonight versus Arizona and Barry Enright, who looks like a pitcher who will win a few games himself, as the Rockies and Diamondbacks resume a three-game series at Chase Field.
Jimenez, who is tied with St. Louis' Adam Wainwright for the most wins in the majors, picked up victory No. 17 on Aug. 4 versus the Giants, but lost to the Mets six days later despite seven innings of one-run ball. The right-hander then received a no-decision Sunday against the Brewers after Huston Street failed to hold a ninth-inning lead. Jimenez himself allowed three runs on 10 hits over eight frames with 10 strikeouts, but was just glad his team pulled out a victory.
"I'm just happy because we won," said Jimenez on Colorado's website. "I'm a human being, and I wanted to win that game, but so what? It's just a game and I'm going to have more opportunities to win."
That opportunity comes again tonight versus a Diamondbacks club that he has beaten three times in three meetings this year, yielding just two runs over 21 innings. Those two runs came in Arizona on June 6 over seven innings of work.
Enright counters Jimenez and he has posted a 2.91 ERA over nine starts, though he is just 3-2. The rookie has allowed two runs or less in seven of those outings, but he matched a career high with three runs given up last time out in a five-inning no-decision versus the Nationals on Sunday.
The 24-year-old righty, who is 2-2 with a 2.93 ERA in five starts at home, faces the Rockies for the first time.
A blown save by Street cost the Rockies in Friday's opener, as they lost 4-3 in 10 innings and fell seven games back of the NL Wild Card spot. Street came in to protect a two-run lead in the ninth, but yielded a two-out double to Miguel Montero that plated a pair of runs.
"I was ahead of every single hitter in the inning. I have to do a better job of finishing guys," Street said.
The Diamondbacks then completed the rally the following inning and snapped a four-game losing streak as Justin Upton singled and then raced around on Kelly Johnson's gap hit to left-center.
"The guys really hung in there," Diamondbacks interim manager Kirk Gibson said. "We made some mistakes early, but we made pitches and plays when we had to."
Dexter Fowler went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Troy Tulowitzki drove in a pair of runs to lead the Rockies, who have lost back-to- back games for the first time this month. The club had alternated wins and losses over its previous 16 games.
Colorado also played a second straight game without Carlos Gonzalez, who leads the team with 25 homers, 79 RBI and 19 steals, but is battling a knee injury. He is day-to-day and might be available to pinch-hit in this contest, but is unlikely to start.
These two clubs have split 10 meetings so far this year, with Arizona winning three of the last four.