Colorado @ Chicago preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 27, 2011 ) Colorado 0, Chi. Cubs 0

THE STORY: Two National League clubs looking to cut losing streaks short meet up when the Chicago Cubs host Colorado on Monday afternoon. The game is a makeup of the April 27 contest between the two clubs that was rained out. The Rockies are coming off a pair of road losses to the New York Yankees that dropped them below the .500 mark, while the Cubs finished the weekend with back-to-back defeats in Kansas City.

TV: 2:20 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Colorado), Comcast Sports (Chicago)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Rockies RH Jhoulys Chacin (8-4, 2.71 ERA) vs. Cubs RH Matt Garza (3-6, 4.11 ERA)

Chacin has been particularly outstanding in June, going 3-0 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts. He did not factor in the decision last time out despite surrendering just one run on two hits in 6 2/3 innings at Cleveland on June 21. Because he yielded six walks, Chacin did throw a season-high 115 pitches, but he has made up for his control problems by keeping the ball off of opposing bats (just 12 hits allowed in his last 26 2/3 innings). He threw a complete-game shutout against the Cubs on April 15, striking out seven while scattering six hits.

Garza has been hit or miss since returning from the disabled list in early June, in part because he appears to have lost some of his power. After striking out 65 batters in his first 49 2/3 innings this year, Garza has fanned just 17 over his last 27 innings dating back to May 17. He also has not worked past the sixth inning since April 30, going past the 100-pitch mark just twice in May and June. Garza was on the losing end against Chacin on April 15, yielding five runs on seven hits in six innings of a 6-0 defeat.

ABOUT THE ROCKIES (38-39): Colorado boasts some of the top individual talent in the National League — SS Troy Tulowitzki (14 HR, 50 RBIs) has become one of the game's top power hitters, Chacin has developed into an elite starting pitcher and Huston Street is tied for the major-league lead with 23 saves in 25 opportunities. 3B Ty Wigginton has been on a tear of late, going 7-for-16 with five home runs and eight RBIs in his last four games. Reliever Rafael Betancourt, meanwhile, has allowed four runs and retired just three hitters over his last two outings.

ABOUT THE CUBS (31-45): Chicago is 9-13 in one-run games this season and has dropped the last four such contests, all since June 18. The Cubs have often been done in by poor defense (60 errors, 33 unearned runs allowed) and a pitching staff that ranks last in the major leagues in ERA and WHIP. The quality start by RHP Carlos Zambrano on Saturday was just the 27th for the Cubs' rotation, easily the fewest in baseball. Those struggles on the mound and in the field have cut short any chance for a prolonged win streak — Chicago has yet to earn more than two victories in a row this year.

FINAL PITCH: The Cubs hit .273 as a team in April and .277 in May but have dipped all the way down to .244 during the month of June. Colorado, meanwhile, has progressively climbed all season (.236 in April, .255 in May, .273 in June).