Diamondbacks Send Haren To The Hill In Colorado
(Sports Network) - Right-hander Dan Haren can continue a stretch of sterling mound work today and earn his Arizona Diamondbacks a series win when they visit Coors Field to wrap up a three-game weekend series with the Colorado Rockies.Haren, a 28-year-old Californian, has allowed two runs or less in seven straight starts and none of his last 10, shrinking his season's earned run average to 2.19 in 115 innings of work. He was 3-4 after giving up five runs at Oakland on May 23, but is 4-1 in the seven outings since, surrendering a total of 10 runs in 52 innings and pitching at least seven innings in each start. He downed Cincinnati, 6-2, on June 30, allowing four hits and a run - while walking one and striking out nine - in seven innings. Haren downed the Rockies, 2-0, with seven innings of scoreless six-hit ball on April 22, and is 4-3 lifetime against them in eight starts with an ERA of 3.00. He will be faced this time by Ubaldo Jimenez, who was 3-1 in six June starts after beginning the season at 3-6. Jimenez defeated St. Louis, Seattle and Tampa Bay in three consecutive starts between June 7 and 18, allowing 18 hits and seven runs over those 23 2/3 innings. He got a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last start, allowing five hits and two runs in seven innings of the team's 4-2 defeat. Jimenez defeated Haren and the Diamondbacks in the season debut for both he and his mound foe, scattering four hits in seven innings of a 3-0 triumph. He is 1-1 against Arizona in five career starts with a 2.18 ERA. On Saturday, Chris Young hit a pinch-hit, three-run double in Arizona's six- run eighth inning, as the Diamondbacks rallied for an 11-7 decision. Stephen Drew belted a two-run homer in the pivotal frame and fell a single short of the cycle, while Gerardo Parra had three hits, three runs scored and an RBI in the win, Arizona's second in its past 10 games. The rally made a winner of Scott Schoeneweis (1-0), who fanned Todd Helton with a runner on second to end the seventh. Yusmiero Petit, activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, lasted just three innings, getting touched for four runs on five hits and two walks in a no-decision. Joel Peralta (0-2) was charged with five runs allowed on three hits and two walks, recording just one out in the eighth. Aaron Cook, vying for his sixth straight win, surrendered three runs -- two earned -- on nine hits in five- plus innings of work. He exited in the sixth after getting the wind knocked out of him following a diving defensive stop. Clint Barmes went 2-for-5 with a homer and two RBI, and Ian Stewart added a two-run double for Colorado, which has split its last six games. The D-Backs went 15-3 against the Rockies last season, including a 7-2 mark in Denver.
Copyright 2009 Courtesy of The Sports Network.







