(Sports Network) - The Colorado Rockies eye back-to-back wins this evening
when they start a three-game series with the Atlanta Braves at Coors Field.
The Rockies won in thrilling fashion on Wednesday, as Jason Giambi hit a
three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday to lift Colorado
over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 8-5, in the finale of a three-game series.
Giambi's heroics came a half-inning after manager Jim Tracy called for an
intentional walk to Matt Kemp with two outs, leading to Dee Gordon's game-
tying two-run double for the Dodgers.
Jamey Wright (1-1) walked Eric Young and Marco Scutaro to start the bottom of
the ninth and Giambi smoked Scott Elbert's one-out fastball over the wall in
right-center field to give the Rockies two wins in the series.
"All I was trying to do was get it up in the air in that situation," said
Giambi.
Hoping to get the Rockies over .500 tonight will be righty Guillermo Moscoso,
who lost his first start on Saturday to the New York Mets. Starting in place
of the injured Jeremy Guthrie, Moscoso gave up six runs and nine hits in five
innings of that one.
"I need to make quality pitches," Moscoso said. "I was trying to do too much
when I got two outs and two strikes. It happened twice, in the third and the
fifth, with the same guys up. The rest of the guys in the lineup, I did very
well against, but those two guys cost me pretty much the game. ... I just have
to make adjustments to the guys that made adjustments to me."
He had been 8-10 last season for the Oakland Athletics.
Atlanta, meanwhile, will counter with righty Tim Hudson, who was victorious in
his season debut on Sunday. In his first start following offseason back
surgery Hudson beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, limiting them to a two runs and
six hits in five innings.
"It felt great to be back out there again," Hudson said. "I was a little shaky
at first, but I finished strong and we got the win."
Atlanta was shut down by the Philadelphia Phillies, specifically Joe Blanton,
on Thursday, as it managed just three hits in a 4-0 loss. The Braves had
erupted for 15 runs and 19 hits just a night earlier.
Braves starter Randall Delgado (2-3) went eight innings, giving up two runs on
six hits, but lost his third straight start. He struck out five.
Atlanta was 6-2 against the Rockies last season. Since the start of the 2000
season, the Braves are 29-12 against the Rockies at home, but sport a losing
19-21 record at Coors Field.
The Sports Network