Rockies go for 7th in row vs. Cubs (Jun 10, 2017)

CHICAGO -- The Colorado Rockies' road record has suddenly surged way above sea level.

The Rockies lead the National League with 40 wins and are 23-10 away from Denver's mile-high Coors Field. Only once in the team's 25-year history has it had a winning record on the road -- 41-40 in 2009.

"I think we have the mentality of we're going to win every day," second baseman DJ LeMahieu said. "I just feel like we expect to win, which has really been different. We expect to win road, home, whatever."

The NL West leaders look to extend their upbeat traveling show on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. The Rockies have won six straight overall, including two in the home park of the defending World Series champion Chicago Cubs.

Chicago, meanwhile, has dropped three straight following a five-game winning streak.

Pitching is the big reason for Colorado's dramatic turnaround after six straight losing seasons, according to Cubs manager Joe Maddon. He points to Rockies manager Bud Black -- a major league lefty for 15 seasons -- for making it happen.

"He's a very calm individual, very smart and he's very good with pitchers," Maddon said on Friday. "And the big difference is how well they're pitching.

"A lot of times in the past, they might have scored four (runs), but the other team might have scored six or seven. They're just pitching at a different level."

The bullpen bailed out the Rockies again on Friday in 5-3 win as five relievers limited the Cubs to one hit. It got exciting though when closer Greg Holland walked the bases loaded in the ninth and then escaped the jam to earn his major league-leading 23rd save in as many chances.

The Cubs used four relievers after Mike Montgomery went four innings in a spot start for righty Kyle Hendricks, who's on the disabled list with tendinitis in his pitching hand.

The teams will try to avoid taxing their bullpens again when Rockies righty Jeff Hoffman and Chicago right-hander Eddie Butler start on Saturday.

The Rockies stand a better chance.

Hoffman will make his first start at Wrigley, and his fourth overall this season. The 6-foot-5, 25-year-old, in his second big-league season, is 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA.

Hoffman has been impressive in winning his last three starts, allowing just five runs and striking out 24 in 19 1/3 innings. Even better, he's gone seven innings his last two outings. Hoffman reached a pitch count of 99 at Philadelphia on May 22 and threw just 89 at San Diego last Sunday.

Butler also has been a pleasant surprise at 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA. He'll make his sixth start and first against Colorado, where he pitched the three previous seasons.

Butler was sharp in his last start, at home on Monday against Miami. He allowed just one run on three hits in a 3-1 Cubs win, but Maddon yanked him with two outs in the sixth and let Montgomery pitch the remaining 3 1/3 innings.

Maddon used the same approach in Butler's previous win, on May 25 against San Francisco. Butler went five innings and Montgomery threw four on a night when closer Wade Davis and other relievers needed a break.

But Montgomery isn't available on Saturday. If Butler can't go a little deeper, the Cubs may be forced to turn to tired arms.

Butler's longest outing this season was six innings on May 12, when he threw 94 pitches.