(Sports Network) - Colorado Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez tries again for his 20th win of the season this afternoon in the continuation of a season-ending four-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium.
Jimenez has failed twice in his bid for win No. 20 and hopes to end that skid today in his 33rd start of the season. He was beaten on Monday by Los Angeles and tossed seven innings of two-run ball in a 3-1 setback, falling to 19-8 with a 2.99 earned run average.
The hard-throwing right-hander is just 2-6 in his last eight decisions and will try to beat St. Louis for a second time this season. In a 4-2 win back on July 8 at Coors Field, Jimenez limited the Cardinals to a run and three hits in eight innings of work. He is 2-2 in five career starts in this series.
Colorado could use a solid mound showing today since it has dropped six in a row and 11 of the last 12 games, including the first two portions of this series in the Gateway City. After losing 6-1 in Thursday's series opener, the Rockies dropped a 3-0 decision last night. Jorge De La Rosa pitched well enough for the win, but allowed three runs in seven innings for the loss.
"Every game, I expect to do my best," De La Rosa said on the team's website. "I just want to have fun."
Dexter Fowler highlighted the offense with a team-best two hits for the Rockies, who were in contention for a playoff spot a few weeks ago. The Rockies may not have star outfielder Carlos Gonzalez in the lineup tonight because of a swollen hand. He went 0-for-4 last night.
Jake Westbrook pitched well for St. Louis last night and fired 7 2/3 shutout innings of four-hit ball and struck out nine batters. Trever Miller and Ryan Franklin went the rest of the way to preserve the shutout, with Franklin notching his 27th save in the ninth.
Allen Craig had two hits and an RBI for the Cardinals, winners in three straight and five of their last six games.
Kyle Lohse gets the nod for St. Louis on Saturday and he has dropped three of his last five decisions. He did not figure into the outcome of Monday's 6-4 win over Pittsburgh, as he lasted six innings and permitted four runs and 10 hits to remain at 4-8 this season in 17 starts with a rough 7.09 ERA.
Lohse hasn't pitched well in his career against Colorado as evidenced by his 1-3 ledger and 4.78 ERA in six starts. The righty, who lost to the Rockies last Sept. 27 in Denver, is 2-4 in nine starts at Busch Stadium this season.
Colorado swept a three-game series with St. Louis at Coors Field from July 6-8 this season.