Colorado @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2016 ) Colorado 9, Arizona 12

With the Colorado Rockies falling further out of wild-card contention, the real race worth watching is DJ LeMahieu's bid to win the National League batting crown. The second baseman went 2-for-4 and scored three runs in Monday's 12-9 series-opening loss and seeks his fourth consecutive multi-hit performance when Colorado visits the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday.

LeMahieu raised his average to .345 - three points behind leader Daniel Murphy of Washington - and has reached base in a career-best 29 straight games. Charlie Blackmon ranks fourth in the NL in batting at .316 after going 3-for-5 on Monday and is a scorching 10-for-17 with a homer against scheduled Arizona starter Robbie Ray. Yasmany Tomas hit a grand slam and finished with five RBIs while matching his career high of four hits in the opener as the Diamondbacks halted their six-game losing streak. Arizona recorded 16 hits in the contest, marking the 12th consecutive game in which they have notched 10 or more against the Rockies.

TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (8-7, 5.00 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Robbie Ray (7-13, 4.46)

De La Rosa has been involved in the decision just twice - both victories - over his last nine starts. He allowed five runs and nine hits in six innings against San Francisco in his last turn. De La Rosa is 10-8 with a 2.99 ERA in 29 career appearances (25 starts) versus Arizona and is 1-0 with a 3.45 ERA in three starts this season.

Ray is 0-2 over his last three starts, including a no-decision against the Rockies on Sept. 2 in which he gave up six runs - five earned - and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. He is 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in three starts against Colorado this year and 1-1 with a 4.99 ERA in six career turns. Ray is five strikeouts away from reaching 200 and has fanned 10 or more in four of his last nine outings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies RF Carlos Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with three doubles on Monday and is 8-for-17 with five RBIs over his last four contests.

2. Arizona OF/INF Brandon Drury went 4-for-5 with a homer in the opener and is 19-for-43 with two blasts in his last 11 games.

3. Colorado 3B Nolan Arenado recorded two RBIs on Monday to raise his major league-leading total to 120 after notching just one over his previous nine contests.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 9, Rockies 7