Colorado @ Pittsburgh preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 11, 2013 ) Pittsburgh 2, Colorado 3

Not much went right for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first half of the season, but they can take solace in the fact that they are only 3 1/2 games out in the National League Central Division. Pittsburgh gets a nice matchup coming out of the All-Star break when it hopes the skidding Colorado Rockies on Friday in the opener of a three-game series. Left-hander Francisco Liriano, one of the main culprits for the first-half struggles, seeks his second win of the year.

While the Pirates have managed to stay relevant in the playoff chase despite being eight games under .500 on May 20, the Rockies have unraveled over the past two months and dropped 20 of 26. Colorado showed signs of emerging from its funk with a three-game winning streak before giving up 22 runs in losing its last two at home to Minnesota to push its ERA to a major league-worst 5.07. Jorge De La Rosa, the subject of numerous trade rumors, vies for his 11th win Friday.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (1-7, 4.72 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (10-6, 4.56)

Liriano won 16 games a year ago but has been a shell of himself this season, failing to complete six innings in nine of his last 10 starts. He made his first start in over a month on Sunday after dealing with an oblique injury and lasted only four innings in a 6-4 loss at nemesis Cincinnati. The 30-year-old Dominican, who has walked six in two of his last three turns, is 1-2 with a ghastly 7.16 ERA in three starts versus Colorado.

De La Rosa has been one of the few bright spots for the Rockies and carries a four-start winning streak into Friday's matchup. Pitching away from hitter-happy Coors Field has not provided a respite for De La Rosa, who is 4-4 with a 5.87 ERA in nine road starts. De La Rosa, who reportedly is being scouted by the New York Yankees and Baltimore, has never won at PNC Park (0-2, 5.13 ERA) in seven appearances (five starts).

WALK-OFFS

1. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen is 8-for-16 with three homers and five RBIs during a four-game hitting streak.

2. Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki, who tops the majors with a .345 batting average and shares the NL lead with 21 homers, is a .353 career hitter versus Pittsurgh.

3. Colorado is a major league-worst 16-30 on the road.

PREDICTION: Rockies 5, Pirates 3