Colorado @ Arizona preview
Chase Field
Last Meeting ( Jul 7, 2013 ) Colorado 1, Arizona 6
The Arizona Diamondbacks attempt to keep their slim playoff hopes alive as they host the division-rival Colorado Rockies on Friday in the opener of their three-game series. Arizona salvaged the finale of its three-game set against the National League West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday, posting a 4-1 victory to remain nine games behind Cincinnati for the second wild-card spot. The win gave the Diamondbacks a 4-7 record this month and concluded a 3-4 West Coast road trip.
Arizona's recent struggles have not caused Paul Goldschmidt to slow down, as the MVP candidate still leads the NL with 109 RBIs and is second with 31 home runs - one behind Pittsburgh's Pedro Alvarez. Goldschmidt went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI singles in Wednesday's win. Colorado is 1-5 on its nine-game road trip and has lost seven of nine overall.
TV: 9:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), FSN (Arizona)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (7-4, 3.17 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks RH Brandon McCarthy (4-9, 4.66)
Chatwood pitched well Saturday at San Diego after having his start pushed back due to a bruised thumb, but he settled for a no-decision despite allowing just one run and five hits over six innings. The 23-year-old, who missed all of August with an elbow injury, looks to halt a three-start winless streak. Chatwood is 2-0 with a 3.52 ERA in one start and one relief appearance against Arizona.
McCarthy is coming off an impressive win at San Francisco on Saturday, when he yielded one run and six hits in eight innings. The 30-year-old has worked at least seven innings in each of his last three outings, allowing one earned run over 15 frames in two victories while throwing his second complete game of the season in a loss to Toronto. McCarthy faced Colorado twice in April, going 0-1 while surrendering a total of 10 runs in 12 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Rockies OF Michael Cuddyer has gone 6-for-9 over his last two games to raise his NL-leading average to .334.
2. Colorado 2B DJ LeMahieu enters with a career-high 12-game hitting streak.
3. The Diamondbacks lead the major leagues with a franchise-record 13 walk-off victories.
PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 2