Colorado @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2012 ) Colorado 0, LA Dodgers 8

The Los Angeles Dodgers are hanging onto hope in the wild card race but might need a miracle at this point. The Dodgers took the series opener from the Colorado Rockies on Friday to remain three games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the second wild card in the National League. The problem is that another game came off the schedule. Los Angeles now has just five games to make up the gap.

The Rockies had a four-game winning streak snapped in the series opener, an 8-0 loss to Clayton Kershaw. Colorado is done with its home slate and is playing out the string over the next five at Los Angeles and Arizona while trying to evaluate as many players as possible. That can only be good news for the Dodgers, who need the sweep to stay alive. Los Angeles’ eight runs on Friday marked their third straight game with that total after going the previous nine without reaching the mark. Shane Victorino played the hero with a three-run homer on Friday and Adrian Gonzalez has warmed up over the last week.

TV: 9:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSPT (Los Angeles)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (5-5, 5.49 ERA) vs. Dodgers RH Joe Blanton (9-13, 4.86)

Chatwood is coming off his best start in over a month. The 22-year-old right-hander limited Arizona to two runs on three hits in 5 2/3 innings to earn a win. Chatwood’s only other win in his last eight starts came against Los Angeles on Aug. 28, when he scattered two runs and five hits over five frames. The California native has faced the Dodgers three times in his career, going 2-1 with a 3.71 ERA.

Blanton has not gotten a lot of offensive support lately. The burly right-hander allowed only one run in 5 2/3 innings at Cincinnati on Sept. 21 but was held out of the decision as the Dodgers rallied late for a 3-1 victory. Blanton has not been everything the team had hoped for since coming over from the Philadelphia Phillies, going 1-4 with a 5.57 ERA in nine starts since the trade. His lone win for Los Angeles came at Colorado on Aug. 29, when he allowed three runs in seven frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Gonzalez has hit safely in 10 straight games.

2. Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer (oblique) has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

3. Los Angeles clinched a winning season on Friday, its second straight under manager Don Mattingly and sixth in the last seven campaigns.