Marlins at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies provided themselves a little breathing room over the weekend and look to finish the job of securing a National League wild-card spot as they play their final six regular-season games at home, beginning with the opener of a three-game series against the Miami Marlins on Monday. The Rockies took two of their last three at San Diego, including an 8-4 triumph on Sunday, and lead Milwaukee and St. Louis by two and 2 1/2 games, respectively, for the second wild card.
Pat Valaika came off the bench for Colorado to deliver a home run, a double and two RBIs on Sunday in place of All-Star Nolan Arenado, who left the contest with a bruised right hand and told reporters he hopes to be able to play Monday. Tyler Chatwood takes the ball in the series opener against Miami’s Odrisamer Despaigne as Colorado looks to improve upon a 43-32 home record and avenge a three-game sweep at Marlins Park from Aug. 11-13. Miami coughed up a late lead Sunday in a 3-2 loss at Arizona but has won four of its last six contests overall and 13 of the last 17 versus the Rockies. Giancarlo Stanton has belted three of his 57 homers while recording 13 RBIs in the last six games for the Marlins, giving him the highest amount of blasts in a season since Philadelphia's Ryan Howard launched 58 in 2006.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FSN Florida (Miami), AT&T SportsNet-Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Marlins RH Odrisamer Despaigne (0-3, 4.37 ERA) vs. Rockies RH Tyler Chatwood (8-13, 4.56)
Despaigne notched his third quality start in six tries last time out against the New York Mets, allowing three runs over six innings in a no-decision. The 30-year-old also held Washington to one run and five hits across a season-high seven frames while taking the loss on Sept. 5. Despaigne, who has posted a 7.71 ERA on the road as opposed to a 2.48 mark at home, recorded a save with one scoreless inning against Colorado on Aug. 13.
Chatwood has given up four runs over 19 2/3 innings and notched a pair of victories since returning to the rotation, but he took the loss last time out at San Francisco. The 27-year-old Californian permitted three runs and five hits across six frames in that outing but owns a 1.77 ERA in September after posting 6.91 and 7.90 marks in the previous two months. Stanton is 2-for-3 with a homer against Chatwood.
WALK-OFFS
1. Miami 1B Justin Bour has gone 14-for-37 with four homers and 14 RBIs over his last nine games to raise his batting average to .297.
2. Colorado RHP Greg Holland needs one save to pass Jose Jimenez (41 in 2002) for the single-season franchise record.
3. Marlins OF Ichiro Suzuki is one hit away from becoming the sixth player in major-league history with at least 50 in a season at age 43 or older.