Pittsburgh @ Colorado preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 21, 2015 ) Pittsburgh 9, Colorado 3

The Pittsburgh Pirates are on the verge of clinching a National League playoff spot as they visit the Colorado Rockies in Tuesday's second contest of a four-game set. Pittsburgh posted a 9-3 victory in the series opener and will sew up at least a wild-card berth if it defeats Colorado and San Francisco loses to San Diego.

The Pirates possess a two-game advantage over the Chicago Cubs for the right to host the wild-card game and reside four games behind the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central. Pittsburgh, which has won three straight games, smacked 15 hits in the opener with left fielder Starling Marte — who homered — and shortstop Jordy Mercer each going 4-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez slugged his 17th homer and is 4-for-11 with two homers and six RBIs against scheduled Rockies starter Chris Rusin. Colorado shortstop Jose Reyes is just 5-for-32 over his past eight games and he traditionally struggles (2-for-21) against scheduled Pittsburgh starter J.A. Happ.

TV: 8:40 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh, Colorado)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates LH J.A. Happ (9-8, 3.84 ERA) vs. Rockies LH Chris Rusin (5-8, 5.11)

Happ lost to the Chicago Cubs in his last turn to snap a five-start winning streak. He allowed two runs and eight hits in 5 2/3 innings against the Cubs to drop to 5-2 with a 1.96 ERA in eight starts since being acquired from the Seattle Mariners. Happ is 2-0 with a 1.86 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Rockies and picked up the win on Aug. 29 when he gave up one run and five hits in 5 2/3 innings.

Rusin is 1-3 with a 9.00 ERA over his last five outings, including one start in which he allowed 11 runs in two-plus innings. He received a no-decision against the Los Angeles Dodgers in his last turn when he gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. Rusin is 1-3 with a 4.26 ERA in five career starts against Pittsburgh and took the loss against Happ last month when he gave up three runs and five hits in six innings.

WALK-OFFS

1. Rockies CF Charlie Blackmon had two steals in the opener to raise his total to 40 - the first Colorado player to reach that total since Willy Taveras stole 68 in 2008.

2. Pittsburgh CF Andrew McCutcheon has walked eight times while going 2-for-6 over the last three games.

3. Colorado 2B DJ LeMahieu is 4-for-32 over his last eight games and his average has dropped 12 points to .305.

PREDICTION: Pirates 10, Rockies 4