Astros at Rockies
The Colorado Rockies have played a team with a winning record since June 26 and could continue to do so until Aug. 19 as they host the defending world champion Houston Astros in a two-game interleague series beginning Tuesday. Colorado (53-46) has started the challenging stretch 15-6 as it sits within striking distance of first place in the National League West and an NL wild-card spot.
"We can play with anybody,'' Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters prior to Sunday's 6-1 loss in Arizona that snapped a seven-game winning streak. "But we all know it's a long season, so you just have to keep moving ahead.'' Houston (66-36) boasts a five-game lead in the American League West after beginning a five-game road trip by taking two of three from the Los Angeles Angels over the weekend with Sunday's 14-5 loss their worst of the season. The Astros' George Springer (.253, 16 home runs, 52 RBIs) went 4-for-10 with a home run, six RBIs, three runs scored and four walks in the Angels series after batting .220 over the first 14 games in July. All-Star right-hander Gerrit Cole, who set a club record with 177 strikeouts in 128 1/3 innings prior to the All-Star break, takes the ball for Houston and opposes Tyler Anderson, who has a 0.96 ERA over his last four starts.
TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, AT&T SportsNet Southwest (Houston), AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain (Colorado)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Gerrit Cole (10-2, 2.52 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Tyler Anderson (6-3, 3.72)
Cole allowed one run, three hits and four walks while striking out eight in 5 2/3 innings of a 9-1 victory over Detroit on July 14 to reach 10 wins for the fifth time in his six major-league seasons. The 27-year-old Californian, whose strikeout total is fifth-best in baseball, has yielded one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts and boasts a 0.98 WHIP this season. Nolan Arenado is 5-for-11 with two home runs but the rest of the active Rockies are 8-for-48 versus Cole, who is 3-1 with a 2.49 ERA in four starts - including a victory in his only start at Coors Field in 2016 when he permitted two earned runs in six innings.
Anderson earned a no-decision after allowing two runs, five hits and one walk with six strikeouts in six innings of Colorado's 4-3 victory at Seattle on July 15. The 28-year-old Las Vegas native has recorded six quality starts in his last eight outings and boasts a 1.21 WHIP this season. Anderson, who is 1-3 with a 4.84 ERA in six interleague starts, has never faced the Astros or any of their players.
WALK-OFFS
1. Houston 3B Alex Bregman (.282, 20 home runs, 66 RBIs), the MVP of the All-Star Game, has reached base safely in 25 straight contests - the longest active streak in the majors - and is hitting .333 during that stretch. Bregman had a 31-game on-base run earlier this season.
2. Colorado 1B Ian Desmond (.238, 58 RBIs), who is batting .320 in his last 35 games to raise his average 49 points, has hit 14 of his 19 home runs on the road.
3. The Astros have the highest road winning percentage in baseball (.694) and their 34 wins away from home are the second-most in the majors to Boston.