Pittsburgh @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 4, 2013 ) Colorado 1, Pittsburgh 5

The Pittsburgh Pirates have won five straight games to reach 70 victories faster than any year since 1972. The Pirates, who own the most home wins in the majors (41), embark on a six-game road trip that begins at the struggling Colorado Rockies on Friday. Pittsburgh (70-44) leads the St. Louis Cardinals by four games in the National League Central and hopes for a quick return of red-hot Andrew McCutchen, who did not start Thursday’s 5-4 win over Miami due to discomfort in his right shoulder.

McCutchen boasts 11 hits in his last 17 at-bats, including a pinch-hit single Thursday. The Rockies have dropped nine of their last 10, including two of three at Pittsburgh from Aug. 2-4. Colorado, which is without its top run producer Carlos Gonzalez due to a finger injury, has managed only 12 runs in its last eight contests.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh, Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH Francisco Liriano (12-4, 2.02 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (10-6, 3.31)

Liriano is putting himself in the discussion for the NL Cy Young award, winning seven of his last eight starts and allowing five runs combined in those victories. The left-hander shut the Rockies out on two hits over seven innings in his last start at home, where he is 7-1. Liriano, who has limited left-handed hitters to a .117 average in 2013, is 1-1 in two career outings against Colorado with a 1.93 ERA.

De La Rosa struggled in his last two starts, including a four-inning effort against the Pirates when he yielded three runs and six hits last Saturday. The left-hander had gone 8-2 from May through July before that outing and is 6-1 overall with a 2.65 ERA at home. Jose Tabata is 4-for-10 with two homers against De La Rosa, who is 3-3 in 12 appearances (eight starts) with a 4.24 ERA versus Pittsburgh.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado rookie OF Corey Dickerson, who was batting .371 at Triple-A Colorado Springs before being recalled, has eight hits in his last 22 at-bats.

2. Pittsburgh has earned 28 comeback victories and won 14 games in its last at-bat with nine walk-offs.

3. The Rockies have an all-time record of 899-747 in home games – 31-26 in 2013.

PREDICTION: Pirates 5, Rockies 2