Colorado @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( May 21, 2015 ) Philadelphia 3, Colorado 7

Third baseman Nolan Arenado looks to extend a power surge as his Colorado Rockies visit the struggling Philadelphia Phillies to open a three-game set on Friday. Arenado is 9-for-16 with three homers -- including one in a 6-4 victory at Cincinnati on Wednesday -- and 10 RBIs over the last four games for the Rockies, who have won four of five.

Colorado has posted 51 runs in its last eight contests and second baseman DJ LeMahieu has also played a big part while going 15-for-37 during a 10-game hitting streak. Left-hander Cole Hamels attempts to cool off the Rockies and record his fifth consecutive victory for the Phillies, who have dropped four in a row. Philadelphia welcomed its first day off in three weeks Thursday after being swept by the New York Mets in three games. Slugger Ryan Howard, who hit two homers as his Phillies split a four-game series at Colorado on May 18-21, went 1-for-11 with six strikeouts in the last three contests.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, ROOT (Colorado), NBC 10 (Philadelphia)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Chad Bettis (1-0, 4.19 ERA) vs. Phillies LH Cole Hamels (5-3, 2.98)

Bettis allowed two runs and six hits with seven strikeouts over 8 1/3 innings to win the first of his three starts Sunday against San Francisco. The 26-year-old Texas Tech product had surrendered three runs on eight hits in six innings against Philadelphia in his previous turn without being involved in the decision. Carlos Ruiz is 4-for-5 with a double and an RBI versus Bettis, who has a 2.70 ERA in four career appearances (two starts) against the Phillies.

Hamels has permitted five runs combined in 29 1/3 innings over his last four turns with 29 strikeouts and five walks during that span. The veteran has yielded two or fewer runs in seven of his 10 starts – including 7 1/3 frames of one-run ball at Colorado on May 18 -- and gave up seven of eight homers in his first three outings of the campaign. Wilin Rosario is 6-for-15 with two homers versus Hamels, who is 4-3 with a 3.34 ERA in nine starts against Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. Philadelphia OF Ben Revere is 9-for-26 during a six-game hitting streak to raise his average to .269.

2. Colorado OF Brandon Barnes is 9-for-21 with four doubles in nine games since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.

3. The Rockies are last in the majors in ERA (4.89) and the Phillies are at the bottom in runs scored (153).

PREDICTION: Phillies 6, Rockies 2