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(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies try to continue their incredible September surge this evening when they open a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
Colorado has gone 13-5 this month to draw within 1 1/2 games of the first place San Francisco Giants in the National League West, while sitting 3 1/2 games back of the Atlanta Braves in the wild card. The Rockies, though, endured an awful loss on Sunday in Los Angeles, as they blew a five-run lead before falling 7-6 in 11 innings at Dodger Stadium.
Still and all, it was just the third loss in the last 16 games for the Rockies.
"We put ourselves in a position to win it, all we had to do was play solid baseball," said closer Huston Street, who blew the save in the ninth. "It's a very tough loss, but it's definitely not a back-breaker."
Troy Tulowitzki was 0-for-4 in the setback, but has been a huge reason behind the Rockies' run here, as the shortstop leads the majors with 14 home runs and 32 RBI this month. He is tied for the fourth-most home runs in the month of September since 1990 and has four multi-home run games this season -- all in the past 11 games.
Tulowitzki's run could continue tonight, as he is hitting .352 with five homers and 13 RBI versus Arizona this season.
Hoping to slow him down this evening will be lefty Joe Saunders, who has lost his last two starts and is 2-6 with the Diamondbacks this season with a 4.88 ERA. Saunders was defeated in Cincinnati on Wednesday, as he allowed seven runs (four earned) and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings.
Saunders was roughed up by the Rockies two starts ago for seven runs (four earned) in just 2 1/3 frames.
Arizona enters tonight's series opener licking its wounds from an ugly three- game sweep over the weekend at the hands of the woeful Pittsburgh Pirates. The Diamondbacks have now lost eight of their last 10.
Trying to add to that misery tonight will be lefty Jorge De La Rosa, who has won his last four decisions. De La Rosa won his third straight start on Wednesday against San Diego, as he surrendered five runs and six hits in 7 1/3 frames to run his record to 8-4 to go along with a 4.25 ERA.
De La Rosa beat Saunders and Arizona on September 10 and is 5-2 lifetime against the Diamondbacks with a 2.00 ERA in 12 games, eight of which have been starts.
Colorado has won nine of its 15 meetings with the Diamondbacks this season.