A pair of National League West rivals will square off Thursday night (8:30 p.m.) for the right to represent the Senior Circuit at the World Series, as the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies play Game 1 of the best-of-seven National League Championship Series at Chase Field in Phoenix.

The Rockies enter this series having won 17 of their last 18 games. However, Colorado's lone loss in that span came at the hands of the Diamondbacks and their pitcher tonight, Brandon Webb.

The Diamondbacks could have a decided advantage in this series thanks to the fact that Webb could pitch three times. He is slated to go in Game 1, but could then return on short rest in Game 4 before starting a potential seventh game on full rest.

The 28-year-old right-hander was 1-3 with a 5.77 ERA against Colorado this year. He has also not pitched since last Wednesday and the long layoff could affect his devastating sinker.

Webb, who was 18-10 with a 3.01 ERA this season, was superb in his NLDS start, as he held the Cubs to a run and four hits over seven innings to get the win.

When you think of the Colorado Rockies, their pitching staff is usually not the first thing that comes to mind, but left-hander Jeff Francis could be on his way to changing that.

Francis, a 17-game winner this season, was brilliant in his first-ever postseason start against the Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS, holding them to a pair of runs and four hits in six innings. He also recorded eight strikeouts in the win.

The 26-year-old lefty is 7-2 lifetime against the D'Backs with a 3.54 ERA in 14 starts.

Colorado carried its strong play down the stretch into the NLDS against Philadelphia, as the wild card Rockies swept the Phillies in three games to win their first-ever postseason series.

It was Colorado's pitching staff that got them through the first round, as they held Philadelphia's potent offense to just a .172 batting average.

Colorado, though, is paced by its MVP candidate Matt Holliday, who belted 36 home runs and led the league with a .340 average and 137 RBI. Holliday, though, struggled against the Phillies despite a pair of home runs, hitting just .231.

The Rockies lineup should also get a boost with the return of speedy leadoff man Willy Taveras. He has been sidelined since early September with a strained right quadriceps.

Arizona, meanwhile, also swept its way through the NLDS, beating the Chicago Cubs in three straight to reach this round for only the second time in team history. The first, of course, came in 2001 when the D'Backs defeated the Atlanta Braves in five games on their way to their only World Series title.

The Diamondbacks' young lineup led the way in the NLDS. Dynamic center fielder Chris Young had a pair of home runs, while Stephen Drew hit .500 with two homers and four RBI in the three games.

These teams are obviously no stranger to one another. Colorado won the season series, 10-8, while outscoring Arizona, 86-72. However, 12 of the games were decided by two runs or less, with each team winning six.

Since the start of the 2004 campaign, these teams have split the last 74 matchups.
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Adapted from the Sports Network website.

Colorado starting pitcher Jeff Francis.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt (file photo)