Arizona @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 20, 2013 ) Arizona 4, Colorado 9

The Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks will not be going to the playoffs this October, but that won’t stop them from battling down the stretch. The Diamondbacks hope to stay above .500 and even the series when they visit the Rockies on Saturday. Both Colorado and Arizona spent some time earlier this season believing it would make the postseason, and the two proud franchises are now just playing out the string.

The Rockies slugged four home runs to take a 9-4 win in the series opener as players like Charlie Blackmon, Corey Dickerson and Charlie Culberson try to prove they belong in the team’s 2014 plans. The Diamondbacks (77-76) are a couple of days removed from mathematical elimination but still have a winning season in their sights. Arizona dropped three of its last four but gets two more at Colorado and four at San Diego to pad its record.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, FSN (Arizona), ROOT Sports (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Diamondbacks RH Trevor Cahill (7-10, 4.12 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Collin McHugh (0-2, 7.94)

Cahill is looking to allow three or fewer earned runs in his seventh straight start and held the Dodgers to one run on two hits over 5 1/3 innings on Monday. The sinkerball specialist is having trouble getting through six innings and surrendered 12 walks in his last three turns. Cahill is 1-2 in three starts against Colorado this season and allowed four runs in six innings to lose to the Rockies on May 22.

McHugh is getting a spot start in place of left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, who will miss his second straight turn with a thumb injury. McHugh allowed one run on four hits over five innings against St. Louis on Monday but failed to pick up his first win. The 26-year-old is making his first career appearance against Arizona.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies RF Michael Cuddyer (forearm) sat out Friday and is day-to-day. Cuddyer (.331) is battling Atlanta’s Chris Johnson (.331) for the National League batting title.

2. Arizona RHP Archie Bradley, the team’s top prospect, will not get a callup down the stretch, according to general manager Kevin Towers.

3. Colorado SS Troy Tulowitzki has homered in back-to-back games and has six RBIs in the last three.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 5