Milwaukee @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 5, 2018 ) Colorado 0, Milwaukee 4

The Milwaukee Brewers are on the verge of advancing to the National League Championship Series for the first time since 2011 and all they have to do is win one of the next three games. The Brewers will try to take care of things quickly and earn a sweep of the best-of-five NL Division Series when they visit the Colorado Rockies for Game 3 on Sunday.

Milwaukee relied on the depth of its bullpen and its lineup to win the first two games of the series, with hitters in the bottom half of the order doing the offensive damage in a 4-0 victory in Game 2. "We've become a team with a lot of depth, and that's how we're going to have to win," Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell told reporters. "They're making an effort to be very, very cautious with (MVP candidate Christian) Yelich. It's pretty clear. So, guys behind him are going to have opportunities." The Rockies totaled two runs in the first two games of the series but went 47-34 at home during the regular season and will send their two best pitchers - German Marquez and Kyle Freeland - to the mound in the next two games. "I think playing at home can get us going. We still need to do what we have to do to win. We've got to pitch well and we have to swing the bats," Colorado manager Bud Black told reporters. "We have pitched well (in Milwaukee) but we haven't swung the bats. Again, day off (Saturday), get back on the horse on Sunday and see where we are."

TV: 4:37 p.m. ET, MLB Network

PITCHING MATCHUP: Brewers LH Wade Miley (5-2, 2.57 ERA) vs. Rockies RH German Marquez (14-11, 3.77)

Miley last suffered a loss at St. Louis on Aug. 18 but slowed over the final few weeks of the regular season. The Louisiana native did not record an out in the sixth inning during any of his last four starts and was roughed up for a combined seven runs - six earned - across seven innings over his last two turns. Miley, who is making his postseason debut, went up against the Rockies on Aug. 5 and was reached for three runs on five hits and three walks over five innings without factoring in the decision.

Marquez is a strikeout machine and finished 2018 with a career-high 230 across 196 innings. The 23-year-old Venezuelan did not allow more than three earned runs in any of his last 13 starts and surrendered two or fewer in 11 of those turns. Marquez, who is also making his postseason debut, suffered through one of his worst outings at home against Milwaukee on May 10, when he yielded five runs on 12 hits and three walks while striking out three over 4 2/3 innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. The Brewers are winners of 10 straight games going back to the regular season.

2. Colorado SS Trevor Story is 0-for-8 with five strikeouts in the series.

3. Brewers LHP Josh Hader did not allow a baserunner in a combined 1 2/3 innings over the first two games.

PREDICTION: Rockies 6, Brewers 2