Kansas City @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2014 ) Kansas City 7, Colorado 4

The red-hot Kansas City Royals vie for their ninth straight series victory when they visit the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in the finale of their two-game series. Kansas City on Tuesday maintained its two-game lead over Detroit in the American League Central with a 7-4 victory - its 14th in 16 contests - and moved 15 games above .500 for the first time since 1994. The Royals are 4-1 on a stretch during which they'll play 12 of 13 contests against teams with below .500 records.

Colorado couldn't ride the momentum of its first winning streak since a three-game run from July 23-26 - a doubleheader sweep of Cincinnati on Sunday - as it fell to 6-22 in its last 28 games. The Rockies hope to get Michael Cuddyer back after the 2013 National League batting champion, who hit for the cycle Sunday in his second game since missing 63 with a broken shoulder, did not play Tuesday because of hamstring tightness. Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa has won five straight home outings and looks to continue his amazing success at Coors Field as he opposes Danny Duffy, who is riding a three-start winning streak - the first of his career.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, ROOT (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (8-10, 2.60 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (12-8, 4.32)

Duffy allowed three runs (two earned) and six hits in 5 1/3 innings of a 6-5 victory in Minnesota on Friday as he continues to receive plenty of run support. The 25-year-old Californian has gotten 23 runs of support - 12.2 per nine innings - over his last three starts after receiving eight runs in his previous eight turns (1.4 per nine) and went 1-5 with a 1.98 ERA. Duffy, who also has a five-start unbeaten streak, is 2-1 with a 3.06 ERA in three starts against the NL West this season.

De La Rosa permitted three runs and five hits in seven innings of a 7-3 victory over Cincinnati on Thursday to snap his three-start winless streak. The 33-year-old Mexican, who was 11-16 in two seasons (2006-07) with Kansas City, is 8-2 with a 3.30 ERA in 12 home starts this season and 43-14 all-time at hitter-friendly Coors Field. De La Rosa is riding a career-high streak of 10 straight games in which he's logged six or more innings and is 6-2 with a 3.80 ERA during that span.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals 2B Omar Infante, who was 1-for-18 in his previous four games, recorded four RBIs and matched a career high with three doubles among his season-best four hits Tuesday - including two-run doubles in both the seventh and eighth innings.

2. Rockies OF Corey Dickerson on Tuesday went 0-for-5 to snap his 12-game hitting streak, one day after claiming NL Player of the Week honors.

3. Kansas City is a major league-best 15-4 in interleague play and 10-1 versus the NL West.

PREDICTION: Rockies 3, Royals 2