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SD@LAD: Marquis holds Dodgers to two runs over six

If the Rockies hope to come out victorious this weekend in San Diego, they'll have to use the same approach they took Wednesday: Score early.

The Rockies scored three first-inning runs against Pittsburgh, but were outslugged in a 9-6 loss. More early fireworks against Padres right-hander Jason Marquis would be beneficial, because San Diego's bullpen simply hasn't been giving up runs.

The Padres' relief corps heads into Friday have strung together 14 1/3 scoreless innings, which began in Saturday's seventh inning against the Dodgers. Padres relievers have allowed only three runs in 23 innings in their last eight games, holding opponents to a .145 average while striking out 30. All-Star closer Huston Street leads the way, having not given up a run since June 17 -- a span of 11 scoreless appearances in which he's allowed only two hits.

Taking the hill for the Rockies in the opener of the three-game series is left-hander Drew Pomeranz. Pomeranz was recalled on July 1 after spending more than a month at Triple-A Colorado Springs to refine his delivery. Despite Pomeranz allowing five runs in the fifth inning his last time out, Rockies manager Jim Tracy said he saw some positives.

"What it boils down to is experience and awareness," Tracy said. "The teacher for that is him being in between the lines and going through [rough innings and situations]. Drew Pomeranz will grow from this. The thing that continues to impress has been a much cleaner delivery and the adjustments he's made in regard to his arm slot."

Marquis' last start, on Sunday against the Dodgers, was a bit of an anomaly, considering he was awake most of the previous night with the stomach flu. He allowed the first three Dodgers to reach base but grinded out six innings, allowing two runs on six hits.

"It was a gritty, gutty effort," Black said.

Against the Rockies on June 29, Marquis went six innings and gave up six runs (five earned), his most runs allowed since joining the Padres. Marquis spent the 2009 season with Colorado, going 15-13 with a 4.04 ERA in a career-high 216 innings.

Rockies: Fowler continues to hit
Center fielder Dexter Fowler went 1-for-5 in Wednesday's loss, with his lone hit a leadoff homer. Fowler is batting .425 with four runs scored in his last 10 games, with seven of those contests multi-hit efforts.

• Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez has hit safely in each of the six games since the All-Star break, and on Wednesday hit his first homer in 93 at-bats.

Padres: Cabrera's aggressive baserunning paying off
Everth Cabrera's most memorable stolen base came on Saturday, when he swiped home in the ninth inning to tie the game.

He's been solid on the basepaths the rest of the season, too, going 17-for-17, the longest streak of success to start a season in team history.

"He's fearless," first-base coach Dave Roberts said. "When baserunners are aggressive and fearless, they let their abilities and instincts take over. When people are tentative, they don't get as good of jumps because they're afraid to make a mistake."

The infielder's speed and instincts have been crucial to his success, but so has some extra work off the diamond.

"I'm happy about it because I've been working for this moment last year and in Spring Training," Cabrera said. "Studying and thinking about the pitcher and what they do when they go to home plate, when they pick their foot up, when they go to first. I think that's partly why (I've been so successful)."

• The Padres announced Wednesday that their Aug. 18 game against San Francisco will begin at 5:35 p.m. PT because it wasn't selected to be a national broadcast. FOX Sports San Diego will broadcast the game locally.

Worth noting
• Pomeranz has the lowest average against (.223) among all Rockies pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched.

• With a lead-off double in the first inning on Thursday, Alexi Amarista extended his hitting streak to eight games. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout.

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