Philadelphia @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2018 ) Colorado 3, Philadelphia 9

The final week of the regular season is crucial for several teams, but the Colorado Rockies are in the most precarious position among those still in the postseason race. The Rockies will try to make up some ground in both the National League West and the wild-card race when they host the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday for the opener of their four-game series.

Colorado sits 1 1/2 games behind both the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West and St. Louis for the second wild card after the pitching staff led it to a three-game sweep in Arizona over the weekend. The Rockies allowed a total of three runs in a series capped by a 2-0 win on Sunday in which the Diamondbacks stranded 10 baserunners while three Colorado relievers combined for two hitless innings. The Phillies were postseason contenders until the last few weeks but officially were eliminated with Sunday's 2-1 loss at Atlanta - their fourth consecutive setback. Philadelphia will try to give the Rockies a tough time when it sends Zach Eflin to the mound, while Colorado counters with Tyler Anderson.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Phillies RH Zach Eflin (11-7, 4.09 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (6-9, 4.76)

Eflin is finishing the season strong as he has allowed one run and eight hits over 11 1/3 innings in his last two starts - both victories. The 24-year-old worked only five frames against the New York Mets on Wednesday but still managed to match a season high with nine strikeouts. Eflin won his only previous career start in Colorado, allowing two runs and seven hits over six innings as a rookie on July 10, 2016.

Anderson is winless in his last 13 outings but produced quality starts his last two times out. The Oregon product scattered two runs and three hits across six innings in Los Angeles on Wednesday but did not factor in the decision. Anderson started at Philadelphia on June 13 and put forth one of his better outings, yielding one run and six hits in seven innings to record the win.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies SS Trevor Story (elbow) has missed the last five games and is without a firm timetable to return, although he is participating in baseball activities.

2. Philadelphia 1B Carlos Santana has gone 1-for-17 over his last five contests.

3. Colorado RHP Wade Davis has allowed one hit without issuing a walk over five scoreless innings in his last five appearances.

PREDICTION: Rockies 6, Phillies 4