Colorado @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 30, 2014 ) Colorado 2, Arizona 0

Colorado's Nolan Arenado has emerged as a force at the plate, but he also is trying to validate his Gold Glove rookie season of 2013 as the Rockies visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series. "I feel that he's the best third baseman in the National League, for sure," manager Walt Weiss told the Denver Post about the reigning National League Player of the Week, who also is hitting .300 - raising his average 19 points since a fateful moment on July 25. That was the night Arenado was benched by Weiss for not hustling out a grounder, and it appears the 25-year-old immediately began a maturation process.

Arenado has been involved in an NL-leading 30 double plays while taking away plenty of extra-base hits with spectacular diving stops, but he has committed 15 errors - "It mostly comes from off-balance throws, or from not setting my feet to make good throws,'' Arenado told the Denver Post. The Rockies snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 4-18 on the road since the All-Star break with a 2-0 victory Saturday. Colorado's Jorge De La Rosa left his last start with a thumb contusion but will not miss a turn as he tries for his first victory in Arizona when he faces rookie Chase Anderson, who owns a three-game winless streak.

TV: 4:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies LH Jorge De La Rosa (13-9, 4.19 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Chase Anderson (7-6, 3.90)

De La Rosa left Colorado's 3-0 loss in San Francisco on Tuesday after yielding a two-run homer to Buster Posey in the sixth as his career-high 11-game streak of pitching at least six innings was halted. The 33-year-old Mexican suffered the injury while batting but said the swelling quickly subsided after the game and appears ready to go. De La Rosa, who is 4-7 with a 5.23 ERA on the road this season, is 0-6, 4.15 in eight starts at Chase Field.

Anderson allowed five runs (four earned), six hits and four walks in five innings of a 7-4 loss to San Diego last Sunday and is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in his last three turns. The 25-year-old Texan, who was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA in his previous four home starts, has struggled with right-handed batters (.319) while handling left-handers well (.201). Anderson is 2-0 against the Rockies this season, allowing one run and four hits over six innings in each start - the last being a 5-3 victory on Aug. 8.

WALK-OFFS

1. Colorado CF Charlie Blackmon on Saturday hit his 16th home run, and his 60 RBIs from the leadoff position are most in the majors.

2. Arizona C Miguel Montero has 13 RBIs against Colorado, the most by any Rockies opponent this season.

3. The Rockies haven't scored more than three runs on the road in nine games since a 5-3 victory in 10 innings at Arizona on Aug. 10

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 3, Rockies 2