Arizona @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( May 11, 2016 ) Arizona 7, Colorado 8

Arizona ace Zack Greinke started slow with his new team but has turned things around and is looking for his eighth consecutive winning start when the Diamondbacks open a four-game series against the host Colorado Rockies on Thursday. Greinke has allowed just three total runs over his last four outings and is one win shy of being tied for the National League lead.

Greinke has been remarkable on the road this season - he's 5-0 with a 1.47 ERA in six outings - and Arizona is a solid 21-15 when playing in enemy ballparks. The Diamondbacks won the first five games of their current 10-game trip until succumbing 5-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. The Rockies are opening a seven-game homestand after going 2-4 on a six-game road excursion that ended with them blowing a four-run lead in Wednesday's 9-8 loss to the New York Yankees. Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado has hit four of his major league-leading 21 homers against the Diamondbacks and has gone deep 13 times in 51 career games against Arizona.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Zack Greinke (10-3, 3.54 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Eddie Butler (2-4, 6.26)

Greinke is 7-4 with a 4.06 ERA in 19 career appearances (18 starts) against Colorado and is 2-0 with a 4.19 ERA in seven appearances (six starts) at Coors Field. He is 0-1 with a 7.36 ERA in two 2016 starts against the Rockies and both those outings were at Chase Field in Phoenix. Greinke has experienced major difficulties with Carlos Gonzalez (12-for-31, four homers) and rookie Trevor Story (3-for-7, two homers).

Butler is making his eighth start of the season and is returning to the rotation due to an injury to top starter Tyler Chatwood. Butler replaced the injured Chatwood in relief against Miami last Saturday and was hammered for six runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 innings. He won his lone career start against Arizona when he gave up one run and five hits in six innings on Sept. 20, 2014, in his second big-league outing.

WALK-OFFS

1. Diamondbacks 1B Paul Goldschmidt reached base four times on two hits and two walks on Wednesday and is batting .342 in June.

2. Colorado C Nick Hundley is 4-for-11 with two homers and seven RBIs in his past three games.

3. Arizona C Welington Castillo struck out in all four at-bats on Wednesday and is 0-for-8 over his last two games.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 3