The Colorado Rockies have yet to lose a series on the road this season. They didn't even win one before the All-Star break last year.

Colorado looks to continue its surprisingly good play away from Coors Field as it opens a three-game set against the Florida Marlins on Friday.

The Rockies (12-10) are seeking their eighth road win, a total they did not reach last season until July 18 by winning the opener of a three-game set at Washington. Before winning two of three games in that series, Colorado had played 14 series away from home, losing 12 and tying two.

This year, the Rockies won their first two series on the road before splitting a four-game set this week at Philadelphia. Colorado is off to its best road start since 1997.

''We don't take anybody lightly, at home or on the road,'' Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.

The series against the Phillies began a nine-game road trip for Colorado, which follows this weekend series with two games in Atlanta.

Garrett Atkins hit a game-winning, two-run homer in the eighth inning to help the Rockies to a 6-3 win over the Phillies on Thursday.

''We got good pitching, good hitting and did the things we needed to do to win,'' Rockies center fielder Cory Sullivan said. ''It is good to leave with a win and get a split on our way to Florida.''

Atkins leads Colorado with a .366 batting average and 21 runs, adding three homers and 15 RBIs in his second full season in the majors. The third baseman hit .287 with 13 homers, 89 RBIs and 62 runs in 2005. He has struggled at Dolphin Stadium, going 1-for-11 (.091) in three games last season.

Another key contributor to Colorado's early season success is Brad Hawpe. The right fielder, also in his second full season, tops the team with six homers and is second with 17 RBIs and a .357 average.

The 24-year-old Hawpe, who homered on Thursday, is 8-for-19 (.421) with three RBIs in the last four games.

The duo of Hawpe and Atkins has picked up the slack left by the absence of Todd Helton, who will miss his eighth consecutive game with intestinal inflammation. The Rockies are 4-3 without the five-time All-Star, who may return from the disabled list on May 5.

The Rockies will give Jeff Francis (0-2, 5.16 ERA) his fifth attempt to win his first game of the season.

The left-hander hopes to build on his last outing, when he allowed one run and four hits with four strikeouts in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-2, 10-inning win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

Francis won his only career start against Florida, giving up two runs and seven hits in 6 2-3 innings of an 8-3 victory on May 8, 2005.

The Marlins (6-13), returning from an eight-game road trip, will try to win consecutive games for only the second time this season.

Florida stopped a three-game losing streak with a 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

Miguel Cabrera went 2-for-3 with two walks, and leads the team with a .333 batting average. The third baseman is 16-for-36 (.444) with runners on base.

He has been walked 13 times through 19 games this season after walking 64 times in 2005. He is not seeing as many good pitches in a lineup filled with young, inexperienced players.

''It's a huge complement to him,'' Marlins manager Joe Girardi said. ''As he goes on, he will learn how to hit in those situations. When some of our younger hitters get better, they will stop walking Miguel so much and have to pitch to him a little.''

One of the struggling young players is 25-year-old Mike Jacobs, who has one hit in his last 10 at-bats as his average has dropped to .197. He hit .310 with 11 homers for the Mets in 2005.

The Marlins will send Sergio Mitre (1-2, 4.56) to the mound. Since throwing six scoreless innings at Houston to win his season debut, the right-hander has given up 12 runs in 17 2-3 innings over his last three starts.

Mitre has no decisions in two career starts against Colorado, posting a 7.15 ERA.