Colorado Rockies need to work on Tuesday forgetting loss against Dodgers

The Colorado Rockies have to quickly forget about their 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League West tiebreaker on Monday. They have work to do Tuesday night if they want to extend their season.

The Rockies (91-72) will travel to Chicago to play in the NL wild-card game against the Cubs (95-68) and will need a victory to advance to the NL Division Series. A loss will end a season that ended on a high note until the tiebreaker loss.

"Our guys will put it in the rearview for sure," Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters after the loss. "The resiliency of this group has been awesome all year."

The Rockies will start second-year left-hander Kyle Freeland (17-7, 2.85 ERA) on three days' rest for the first time in his career against left-handed veteran Jon Lester (18-6, 3.32 ERA), their second faceoff of 2018.

"I'm looking forward to the battle in Chicago," said Freeland, who finished the season with 11 consecutive quality starts but has no postseason experience. "I've done everything I could to get my arm feeling good from my last start, and it feels good right now. I'm ready to go, and I'm not too worried about being on short rest."

Freeland, 25, faced the Cubs once this season, allowing three runs on six hits in seven innings during a 3-2 loss on April 30 in a matchup with Lester, who allowed just two unearned runs in 5 2/3 innings but didn't earn a decision at Wrigley Field.

Freeland has gone 9-1 with a 2.49 ERA in 14 starts since the All-Star break en route to setting club records for the single-season ERA (2.85) and home ERA (2.40) during the regular season, so the Rockies obviously believe he is the right choice for the job Tuesday night.

"He's been our best guy," outfielder Charlie Blackmon said. "It seems like every time he's out there, we're winning, we have a chance to win, or we do win. He's an amazing competitor, and I'm sure he'll rise to the occasion. If he just pitches like he normally pitches, we're going to be fine."

Lester was 4-1 with a 1.52 ERA in September. He has a 3.71 ERA at home compared to 2.87 on the road, although he pitched six shutout innings Thursday in his final home start of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 34-year-old veteran is 9-7 with a 2.55 ERA in 25 postseason appearances (21 starts).

Chicago manager Joe Maddon announced that Cole Hamels, another left-handed starter, will be available in the bullpen as the Cubs prepared to submit their 25-man roster by Tuesday morning.

Maddon wasn't sure about the availability of reliever Pedro Strop, who sustained a left hamstring strain on Sept. 13. Since the injury, Strop has thrown off a mound only twice since but has been keeping his arm in shape.

"We should have plenty of bullpen help for Tuesday," Maddon said.