Washington @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 11, 2013 ) Washington 3, Colorado 8

The Colorado Rockies will go as far as their two superstars will take them and it appears Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki are in it for the long haul. The Rockies try for their third straight victory when they host the Washington Nationals on Wednesday. While both continue to play Gold Glove defense, Gonzalez hit a three-run homer - his 18th - and Tulowitzki had two hits to raise his National League-leading average to .353 in Colorado's 8-3 victory Tuesday.

Washington, which is seven games behind Atlanta in the NL East, has lost seven of its last 11 games as it continues to struggle without Bryce Harper. The Nationals will call up Ross Ohlendorf from Triple-A Syracuse to make a spot start against the Rockies, who are one game behind Arizona in the NL West. Ohlendorf will oppose Jorge De La Rosa, who is 5-0 in his last seven starts but was shaky in his last outing.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (Washington), ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Nationals RH Ross Ohlendorf (NR) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (7-3, 3.38 ERA)

Ohlendorf, who was 4-5 with a 4.27 ERA in 13 games (12 starts) with Syracuse, will likely be returned to Triple-A following the game. The 30-year-old Austin, Texas, native is 18-32 with a 5.10 ERA and 1.48 WHIP in 108 major-league games (73 starts) and last pitched in the bigs Aug. 17 while with the San Diego Padres. Ohlendorf's best season came in 2011, when he was 11-10 with a 3.92 ERA in 29 starts with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

De La Rosa, who is 5-0 with a 3.15 ERA in six starts at Coors Field in 2013, allowed four runs and 11 hits in five innings and did not earn a decision in Colorado's 10-9 victory over San Diego on Friday. It was only the fourth time in 13 starts this season that the 32-year-old Mexican yielded four or more runs in a game. De La Rosa is 3-1 with a 4.80 ERA in five starts against the Nationals, but hasn't faced them since a 10-4 victory on April 20, 2010 in Washington.

WALK-OFFS

1. Harper received a cortisone injection in his left knee and will wear a brace as he continues to recover from patellar bursitis. The 20-year-old right fielder, who will be re-evaluated in one week, has missed the last 13 games and Washington is 5-8 during that span.

2. Rockies RF Michael Cuddyer missed his fourth straight game Tuesday because of a left rib-cage injury and remains day-to-day.

3. Rockies OF-1B Tyler Colvin, making his first start of the season Tuesday in place of Cuddyer, hit two home runs. He has spent the majority of 2013 with Triple-A Colorado Springs - where he hit .293 with nine home runs and 29 RBIs in 55 games - after spending all of last season with the Rockies.

PREDICTION: Rockies 6, Nationals 2