(Sports Network) - While the Padres and Giants battle it out for NL West supremacy, the Colorado Rockies have catapulted themselves into the division race too. They will shoot for their 10th straight win this afternoon versus the Arizona Diamondbacks in the finale of a three-game series at Coors Field.
The Rockies have won nine in a row to pull themselves within 2 1/2 games of the top spot in the division, while San Diego holds a one-game edge over San Francisco for bragging rights.
Colorado, which hasn't lost since Sept. 2 versus Philadelphia and owns a 6-0 mark on this 10-game homestand, posted a 2-1 win over the Diamondbacks last night to set up an opportunity for a sweep Sunday afternoon. The Rockies plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead for good, as Miguel Olivo ripped an RBI single and pinch-hitter Jonathan Herrera later followed with a sacrifice fly for the go-ahead run.
"We are not in unfamiliar territory, we're in very familiar territory and we know what it takes to play baseball at this time of the year," Rockies skipper Jim Tracy said in reference to Colorado's past runs to the playoffs. "We did the drill last year. We're very familiar with it."
Matt Reynolds earned his first big league win with a scoreless inning of relief and Huston Street stranded two runners in the ninth to record his 18th save for Colorado, which has won 12 of its last 14 games at Coors Field. NL Cy Young candidate Ubaldo Jimenez yielded one run on six hits while walking one and fanning eight over six innings in the no-decision.
Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki entered Saturday's game with eight homers in eight games, but ended 0-for-4 at the plate.
Rockies starter Jhoulys Chacin has won his last three decisions and is scheduled to take the mound today. Chacin threw six innings of two-run ball in Tuesday's 4-3 win over the Reds and is 8-9 with a 3.65 ERA in 24 games (17 starts) this season. He hasn't lost at home since June 10 versus Houston and is 2-1 in four career games, three of which have been starts, against Arizona.
Chacin, a right-hander, beat the D'Backs on August 22 with 7 2/3 shutout innings and nine K's at Chase Field.
Arizona will try to avoid being swept for the second time this season at Coors Field when it takes the field this afternoon. It lost all three games in Denver from May 25-27, and for the sixth time in seven tries overall following last night's 2-1 decision.
Stephen Drew drove in the only run and starter Rodrigo Lopez was saddled with the loss after he was reached for both runs and seven hits in 6 1/3 frames.
"Rodrigo threw a great game for us but we got out-executed in the finer points of the game," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "It would have been a good game to win, for sure."
The D'Backs are 0-2 on a 10-game road trip through Colorado, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, and will hand the ball to Ian Kennedy on Sunday. Kennedy is 3-0 with a 2.12 earned run average in his last five starts and is coming off eight shutout innings in a 2-0 loss versus the Giants. The righty did not record a decision that day and remained at 9-9 this season over 28 starts.
Kennedy is 0-1 with a 5.06 ERA in three career starts against the Rockies.
Colorado has won 10 of the last 12 at home versus the Diamondbacks.