Arizona @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 2, 2016 ) Arizona 7, Colorado 14

The Colorado Rockies look to keep alive their playoff hopes as they seek their sixth win in seven contests when they host the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday for the middle contest of their three-game series. Colorado is not yet counting itself out of the National League wild-card race as it trails St. Louis for the second spot by 5 1/2 games.

The Rockies posted a 14-7 victory in the series opener, erasing an early five-run deficit before breaking open a tie game with a seven-run rally in the eighth inning. Nick Hundley highlighted that frame with his first career grand slam and Nolan Arenado drove in a pair of runs to increase his major league-leading total to 117 RBIs. Arizona fell to 1-2 on its eight-game road trip despite a three-hit, one-RBI performance by Yasmany Tomas. A.J. Pollock is riding a four-game hitting streak during which he is 7-for-15 with a homer and two RBIs.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN Arizona, ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Braden Shipley (2-3, 4.75 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (10-8, 3.75)

Shipley limited Cincinnati to one run on four hits and four walks over seven innings on Aug. 26 but was forced to settle for a no-decision. It was a welcome performance by the 24-year-old rookie from Oregon, who was tagged for seven runs in each of his previous two outings - both losses. Shipley, who never has faced Arizona, is 2-2 with a 4.94 ERA in four starts on the road this season.

Chatwood was activated from the disabled list on Friday to make his first start since Aug. 14 due to an upper back injury. The 26-year-old Californian did not fare well in that outing, surrendering six runs - four earned - on six hits and five walks in four innings of a setback at Philadelphia. Chatwood won his first four career decisions against Arizona before suffering a loss on May 9, when he yielded six runs and seven hits in six frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Rockies have scored 37 runs while going 3-1 over the first four contests of their nine-game homestand.

2. Arizona recalled OF Socrates Brito from Triple-A Reno on Friday after trading Michael Bourn to Baltimore two days earlier.

3. Colorado Raimel Tapia recorded a pinch-hit infield single in his first major-league at-bat on Friday and also scored a run.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 7, Rockies 4