Chicago @ Colorado preview

Chi. Cubs at Colorado

Last Meeting ( Jul 19, 2013 ) Chi. Cubs 3, Colorado 1

If the Colorado Rockies are going to climb back into the National League West race, they're going to have to start hitting - and soon. The Rockies look to snap out of a month-long funk when they continue a three-game series with the visiting Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Colorado, which dropped a 3-1 decision on Friday, is hitting .217 as a team with seven home runs and 37 runs scored in 14 games in July.

The Cubs got a glimpse of what they hope is a bright future for Junior Lake, who started in center field and went 3-for-4 with a double and a stolen base in his major-league debut Friday. The Rockies will try to rough up Carlos Villanueva like they did May 14 in Chicago, when they battered him for seven runs on 12 hits over five innings in the right-hander's worst outing of the year. The Cubs also want to duplicate their success against right-hander Juan Nicasio, whom they dinged for five runs in six innings in a victory May 13.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, WGN (Chicago), ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Carlos Villanueva (2-5, 3.59 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Juan Nicasio (5-4, 4.89)

Villanueva has pitched well in two outings since returning to the rotation after Scott Feldman was traded. He held St. Louis to two runs over six innings last time out but was tagged with the loss in a 3-2 defeat. Villanueva's struggles against the Rockies in May weren't new - he's 0-2 with a 10.71 ERA in 12 games (one start) against Colorado.

Nicasio closed the first half with his best outing of the year, holding the Los Angeles Dodgers to three hits over seven scoreless innings to move above .500. It was the first quality start for the 26-year-old since June 9, and he was coming off his worst outing of the season at Boston. Nicasio is 8-4 with a 4.49 ERA in 21 career starts at home, compared with a 3-7 mark and a 5.02 ERA in 20 road starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Cubs were rumored to be close to a deal to send RHP Matt Garza to Texas on Friday, but the talks reportedly hit a snag.

2. Rockies SS Troy Tulowitzki is 4-for-7 with two home runs against Villanueva. LF Carlos Gonzalez is 3-for-4 with a homer versus the hurler.

3. Chicago has hit a National League-best 18 home runs in July - with LF Alfonso Soriano accounting for eight of them, including a solo shot Friday.

PREDICTION: Cubs 5, Rockies 4