Colorado @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 12, 2016 ) Colorado 6, Philadelphia 10

Ryan Howard has been reduced to a part-time player but he still remains a nemesis for the Colorado Rockies. Howard belted a tiebreaking grand slam Friday night to power the Philadelphia Phillies to a 10-6 victory over visiting Colorado, which will attempt to even the series Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park.

Howard will likely sit Saturday with a left-hander on the mound in rookie Tyler Anderson, but his 14th career grand slam gave him 14 homers and 61 RBIs in 66 games against the Rockies. Squaring off against Anderson will be Phillies right-hander Jerad Eickhoff, who was tagged for a career-high eight runs in a loss at Colorado last month. Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon went deep three times in the series opener to give him six blasts and 12 RBIs during a seven-game hitting streak. Colorado has lost seven of nine following an 11-2 run to fall 4 1/2 games back in the chase for the second National League wild card.

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

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (4-3, 3.04 ERA) vs. Phillies RH Jerad Eickhoff (7-12, 3.78)

Anderson is showing why the Rockies used a first-round pick on him in the 2011 draft, taking a six-start unbeaten streak into Saturday's outing. The 26-year-old Nevada native has been superb in his last three trips to the mound but has only one win to show for it despite permitting a combined four runs and 15 hits over 20 innings. He beat the Phillies on July 9, allowing two runs and nine hits in six frames.

Eickhoff halted a five-start winless drought last time out at San Diego even though he was reached for four runs on five hits, including two homers, in six innings. He had permitted one run and seven hits in his previous two turns but received a total of one run of offensive support. Eickhoff will be pitching for only the fourth time in 10 starts at Citizens Bank Park, where he is 4-5 with a 2.92 ERA this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Blackmon is 19-for-33 with 12 runs scored during his hitting streak, including six straight multiple-hit games.

2. The Phillies optioned OF Cody Asche to Triple-A Lehigh Valley and reinstated OF Peter Bourjos from the 15-day disabled list.

3. Rockies LF David Dahl, who tied a major-league record by hitting safely in his first 17 games, had the streak snapped Friday.

PREDICTION: Rockies 5, Phillies 4