Colorado @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 10, 2016 ) Colorado 3, San Diego 6

Two teams playing with an eye toward next season meet Sunday as the Colorado Rockies look to salvage a split in their four-game series against the host San Diego Padres. Both teams are giving an extended look to several young players while continuing to rely on All-Stars such as Wil Myers, who helped the Padres grab a 6-3 victory Saturday with two hits and two RBI.

Myers has struggled since the All-Star break but hopes to close the season on a high note for the Padres, who are 24-9 in their last 33 games against the Rockies at Petco Park. “He wants to get it going,” manager Andy Green told reporters. “I think those things mount, especially when the clock’s ticking and the season’s coming to an end. I think the best thing you can do is kind of take your eyes off the stats and work back to squaring baseballs up hard.” Myers will look to build on Saturday’s performance against a Rockies team that is 28-26 since the All-Star break and has a number of young players ready to contribute next season, including left fielder David Dahl, catcher Tom Murphy and outfielder Raimel Tapia. The team also has a long-term solution at shortstop, where rookie Trevor Story was hitting .272 with 27 home runs and 72 RBI before suffering a season-ending thumb injury July 30.

TV: 4:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Chad Bettis (12-7, 4.88 ERA) vs. Padres RH Edwin Jackson (4-5, 5.55)

Bettis turned in the best outing of his career Monday at Coors Field by tossing a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts against San Francisco. “It’s something that’s once in a lifetime,” Bettis told reporters. “Hopefully, it occurs a little bit more.” Myers is 4-for-8 with a home run against the 27-year-old, who has allowed 20 homers in 28 games this season and owns a 2-1 mark and 2.73 ERA in eight career games (five starts) against San Diego.

Jackson ended his three-start losing streak Monday while recording 11 strikeouts over seven scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory over Boston. The 33-year-old needed the strong outing after allowing a total of 18 runs in his previous three starts covering 11 2/3 innings. Carlos Gonzalez is 7-for-11 with six RBI while Nick Hundley has five hits in 14 at-bats against Jackson, who is 1-3 with an 11.34 ERA in 12 career games (nine starts) against Colorado

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies 2B DJ LeMahieu has reached base in a career-high 27 straight games.

2. Padres RHP Jarred Cosart (hamstring, groin strains) could miss his next scheduled start but is expected to avoid the disabled list.

3. Gonzalez is batting .345 (19-for-55) with 15 RBI against San Diego this season.

PREDICTION: Rockies 7, Padres 5