Colorado @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2018 ) Colorado 6, Arizona 2

Shortstop Trevor Story won’t be in the lineup Saturday when the Colorado Rockies continue their three-game series against the host Arizona Diamondbacks, but the National League MVP candidate could return for the start of the team’s final homestand on Monday. Rookie Garrett Hampson has been starting in place of Story, who has missed the last three contests due to an elbow injury.

German Marquez registered 11 strikeouts over seven innings and Ian Desmond drove in three runs in Friday’s 6-2 victory as Colorado snapped its three-game losing streak and climbed within 1 1/2 games of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers while remaining 1 1/2 behind St. Louis for the second wild-card spot. Charlie Blackmon is riding a 13-game hitting streak for the Rockies, who are seeking the first division title in franchise history. Arizona fell six games behind both the Dodgers and Cardinals after dropping to 5-15 over its last 20 games. The Diamondbacks received an impressive outing from Zack Greinke but went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and failed to generate any offense at the bottom of the order, where A.J. Pollock, Nick Ahmed and Jeff Mathis went a combined 0-for-11 with five strikeouts.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado), FS Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Antonio Senzatela (5-6, 4.81 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Patrick Corbin (11-6, 3.09)

Senzatela recorded his first win since July 28 with five strong innings against San Francisco on Sunday. The 23-year-old Venezuelan owns a 5.20 ERA in nine games (five starts) at Coors Field this season compared to a 4.46 mark in 12 road contests (six starts). Senzatela is 0-4 with a 7.66 ERA in seven career games (three starts) versus Arizona – including an 0-3 record and 6.43 ERA in three contests (two starts) this season.

Corbin drew high praise from Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon after allowing three runs over six innings in Tuesday’s 5-1 loss. “We were fortunate to get to him,” Maddon told reporters. “He'll be good for a while. That’s one of your best left-handed pitchers in baseball right there.” DJ LeMahieu is 17-for-46 with four homers and seven RBIs against the 29-year-old Corbin, who owns an 8-3 record and 4.63 ERA in 20 career games (19 starts) versus Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona has recorded an extra-base hit in 55 consecutive games, its longest streak within a single season since a 79-game stretch from April 20-July 14, 2013.

2. Colorado LHP Kyle Freeland will start Sunday’s series finale in place of RHP Jon Gray, whose turn in the rotation is being skipped.

3. Diamondbacks OF David Peralta is 22-for-54 with five doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs against the Rockies this season.

PREDICTION: Diamondbacks 6, Rockies 4