Colorado @ Houston preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 23, 2011 ) Colorado 2, Houston 11

THE STORY: Colorado looks to break its nine-game losing streak Saturday evening when it plays the third game in a four-game series at Houston. The injury-riddled Rockies have allowed 68 runs during their current skid, getting hit early and often in the Astros' 11-2 victory Friday. Houston's Carlos Lee had four RBIs for the second consecutive game.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado); my20 (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jason Hammel (7-13, 4.85 ERA) vs. Astros LH J.A. Happ (6-15, 5.48 ERA).

Hammel has been working primarily out of the bullpen of late, and the results have been promising — in his last six appearances, including one start, Hammel has allowed just four runs (three earned) in 17 1/3 innings. He earned a four-inning save Sept. 11 against Cincinnati and followed with two innings of scoreless relief seven days later against San Francisco. Hammel is 2-1 with a 1.25 ERA in his career against the Astros.

Happ has struggled for most of the season, but he has lowered his ERA by more than half a run over his last five starts, allowing nine runs (eight earned) over 30 innings. He has still struggled with control, walking 16 batters in that span, but Happ has survived, going 2-0 over his last four outings. The lefthander has not faced Colorado this year but is 1-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three career games (two starts) against the Rockies.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (70-87): Despite playing without LF Carlos Gonzalez and 1B Todd Helton, Colorado has still been able to produce runs — but stopping other teams from scoring has been another story. The Rockies have struggled to get quality pitching all season long, ranking last in the National League in ERA and near the bottom of the majors in several other statistical categories.

ABOUT THE ASTROS (55-102): Houston had dropped 68 of 98 games prior to breaking through against the Rockies, scoring 19 runs over the first two games of the series. The Astros, who traded away two of their top offensive players in CF Michael Bourn and RF Hunter Pence, still rank among the National League leaders in batting average but are among the lowest-scoring teams in the game with 598 runs.

FINAL PITCH: The home team has won all five meetings this season.