Colorado @ Washington preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 23, 2013 ) Colorado 7, Washington 6

The Washington Nationals have an opportunity to ease into the second half of their season with a six-game homestand against the two worst road teams in the National League - the Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs. Washington (43-38), which welcomes Colorado to Nationals Park on Monday, is one-half game behind the Atlanta Braves in the National League East. "I like our position in the standings and I like how our team is playing," first baseman Adam LaRoche told reporters after Washington swept a day-night doubleheader from the Cubs on Saturday before enjoying a rare Sunday off because of the annual Pride Parade in Chicago.

Washington appears to have a huge edge in all three pitching matchups against Colorado, with veterans Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister scheduled to oppose rookie Yohan Flande, Christian Friedrich and rookie Tyler Matzek (combined 6-12, 6.00 ERA in 23 career starts). The Rockies lead the majors with a .285 batting average but hit only .245 on the road, where they snapped a six-game slide with a 10-4 victory in Milwaukee on Sunday for their second victory in 13 contests. Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki (18 homers, 46 RBIs) continued his MVP-caliber season with three hits to raise his major league-leading average to .353.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), MASN2 (Washington)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Yohan Flande (0-0, 7.20 ERA) vs. Nationals RH Jordan Zimmermann (5-4, 2.95)

Flande received a no-decision in his major-league debut, when he allowed four runs and six hits while striking out four over five innings of Colorado's 9-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday. "I was really excited to pitch my first big-league game," the 28-year-old Dominican told reporters. "I have been playing for a long time (six-plus seasons in the minors), so I treated this like a regular game in the minors. I was trying to have fun." Flande, who became the fourth Rockies starter to make his major-league debut this season - a team record, likely will remain in the rotation until one of the injured pitchers returns sometime in July.

Zimmermann is winless in three straight starts after settling for a no-decision as he struck out nine while allowing two runs and six hits in six innings of Washington's 4-2 victory at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Wisconsin native is 2-2 with a 1.18 ERA in five June starts. Zimmermann is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA in six starts against Colorado - 2-0, 0.42 in three turns at Nationals Park - and has held the Rockies' active roster to five singles in 28 at-bats.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington OF Bryce Harper, who hasn't played since April 25 because of a left thumb injury, is expected to join the Nationals after completing his rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg. Harper went 4-for-5 with three homers and five RBIs in his final rehab game Saturday.

2. Colorado OF Corey Dickerson (.343, 10 homers, 33 RBIs) left Sunday's game during an at-bat in the eighth inning, but the Rockies said it was just a leg cramp.

3. Washington won the season series 4-3 in 2013, but Colorado prevailed in the previous four campaigns by winning 19 of the 28 meetings.

PREDICTION: Nationals 6, Rockies 2