Colorado @ San Diego preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 6, 2013 ) Colorado 3, San Diego 4

The Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres are well out of the race in the National League West, but neither team is showing any signs of letting up. The Padres will look to steal their fourth win in five games when they host the Rockies on Saturday. Both teams took the lead in the ninth inning during Friday’s series opener, with San Diego claiming victory on a walk-off single.

The Padres avoided last place in the West with that win and moved to within two games of Colorado, which is hoping to avoid the basement. Michael Cuddyer is making a play for the NL batting title and is hitting .329, one spot below Atlanta’s Chris Johnson (.330). San Diego is down to nine games left at home, where it owns a 39-33 record.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado), FSN San Diego

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (7-4, 3.29 ERA) vs. Padres RH Tyson Ross (3-7, 2.99)

Chatwood left his start on Sunday in the third inning after getting hit in the thumb with a line drive. That marked the second straight outing of fewer than three innings for the 23-year-old, who was lit up for eight runs on 10 hits in his previous start. Chatwood held San Diego to two runs on five hits in 6 2/3 innings to earn a win on July 8.

Ross is trying to snap a four-start winless streak but is coming off a dominant outing at Los Angeles on Sunday in which he struck out 10 and allowed one run in five innings. The 26-year-old notched at least six strikeouts in each of his last eight starts. Ross is winless in four appearances - two starts - against Colorado with a 4.26 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies 3B Nolan Arenado (thumb bruise) sat out Friday and is day-to-day.

2. San Diego 3B Chase Headley homered in back-to-back games.

3. Colorado 1B Todd Helton has hit five home runs in the last eight games.

PREDICTION: Padres 7, Rockies 6