Houston @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 17, 2015 ) Houston 8, Colorado 4

Houston's rise to the top of the American League West was quicker than expected by most - after all, it averaged 104 losses over the last four years - but young players such as rookie Carlos Correa are helping to prove that the Astros' success is no fluke. Houston on Thursday tries to complete a season sweep of struggling Colorado with its fourth victory in four days over the Rockies when the teams meet at Coors Field.

Correa, the top pick in the 2012 draft who was born Sept. 22, 1994 and is the youngest player in the majors, belted a two-run homer in the Astros' 8-4 victory Wednesday and is batting .359 with three home runs, seven RBIs and five runs scored while reaching base in all nine career games since making his major-league debut June 8. The Astros, who are 7-1 against the National League this season, are also getting solid production from second-year player George Springer, who is 20-for-42 with two home runs, five RBIs and nine runs scored during a 10-game hitting streak. Colorado (28-37) has lost seven of its last eight games and is 13-19 at Coors Field - only Milwaukee has a worse record at home among NL teams. Houston's Collin McHugh allowed a career-high eight runs in his last start and opposes David Hale, who yielded six home runs in 25 2/3 innings this season and faces an Astros team which leads the majors with 95 round trippers after hitting four Wednesday.

TV: 3:10 p.m. ET, ROOT (Houston)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Astros RH Collin McHugh (6-3, 5.08 ERA) vs. Rockies RH David Hale (2-1, 4.56)

McHugh lasted only three innings and matched a season high by allowing nine hits in an 8-1 loss to Seattle on Saturday. The Illinois native, who turns 28 on Friday, is 2-3 with a 6.86 ERA in his last seven starts since starting the season 4-0 with a 3.23 ERA in six turns. McHugh, who was 0-3, 9.93 in four starts with Colorado in 2013 before being designated for assignment, was picked up on waivers two days later by Houston and is 17-12 since joining the Astros.

Hale permitted four runs, four hits and three walks in six innings of a 4-1 loss in Miami on Saturday in his fourth start with the Rockies. The 27-year-old Georgia native's previous three appearances came at Coors Field, where he is 2-0 with victories over St. Louis and San Francisco and 14 strikeouts and zero walks in 19 2/3 innings. Hale, who has never faced Houston, was 5-5 with a 3.02 ERA in 47 games (eight starts) with Atlanta in 2013-14 before being acquired by Colorado.

WALK-OFFS

1. Houston 2B Jose Altuve (hamstring) left Wednesday's game in the third inning. Altuve played the entire contest Tuesday after missing the previous three.

2. The Astros are 26-0 this season when hitting more than one home run.

3. Rockies OF Corey Dickerson on Wednesday was placed on the disabled list for the second time this season because of plantar fasciitis.

PREDICTION: Rockies 11, Astros 10